His Other Wife: A Novel — page 31: what you’re looking at

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

TITHE WIDOW’S CONFESSION. 23 dened by a secret torture, that Warren could see was at that instant wrenching at her heart. He seemed afraid of the consequences of her further effort to talk, and said, with decision : ‘‘Madam, I cannot allow you to tax your feeble powers in my behalf, If you say there has been wrong-doing in “my partners conduct of your affairs, I will insist upon a full investigation before I allow this sale to go forward.” ‘*You would insist in vain; you can learn from no other source than my confession all the black infamy with which that man—that jiend—has netted in my life. He never dreamed its history would be revealed by me; nor could it have been torn from me by torture, except to save the honor of a taintless character like yours. I should not rest in my grave if I left you in ignorance of the treachery with which you are surrounded in your connec- tion with Mathew Croft.” ‘Some other time, then; not to-day—you cannot bear it.” ‘¢ Alas! I have no surety of any to-morrows, — Besides, there is something in your face that woos my confidence strangely. I fain would intrust you with knowledge that may hereafter stand between my child and dreadful harm.” ‘‘In that case, dear lady, speak on. I shall feel it a privilege to ease your heart of the sad case.” ‘«<Come nearer,” she whispered, as she leaned more heavily upon the arm on which her hand still rested, tll her tremulous white lips were very close to his ear, Eomicbooks: co im =