His Other Wife: A Novel — page 107: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

MR. CROFT'S WARD. 99 nuptials, and that it was Aer fortune which had been laid at this beautiful woman’s feet. She cast one long look upon Leda, who lay upon a richly-carved couch lined with primrose satin. There was that in Rachel’s eye which seemed as though it could sear and scorch the soft, volup- tuous beauty till it should be shriveled as a leaf that has passed through flame. Leda shrank from that malignant ray of fiery hate, as if in reality it burned her, and her re- coiling from it seemed to please Rachel, for her stiff white lips parted in a phantom smile more ghastly than can be described. ‘‘T desire that my daughter shall occupy “hts room,” said Rachel, with an imperious decisiveness. ‘‘Do you un- derstand?” she added, seeing that Croft glanced at Leda, making no reply. He bowed his head in assent. Rachel then moved on down the stairway, and passed directly to the hall door, where she paused a moment to say: ‘‘VYou will lose no time about removing our daughter at once to this place according to the understanding we have had, always remembering that if any acciden? hap- pens to her, or to me, the information and proofs neces- sary to convict you of two crimes—murder and bigamy— are lodged in hands that will be swift and sure in bringing you to justice.” Croft turned paler yet at her ominous threat, and sim- ply bent his head. Comicbooks: =| (E(@)