His Other Wife: A Novel — page 43: what you’re looking at

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

“THE DEAD LIVES.” ; yates him the discharge of such a mission, Warren was indebted to-Mr. Croft for great service and inestimable benefits dur- ing the hard days of his early struggles to secure the posi- tion he now occupied. He had, therefore, no alternative but to comply promptly. It was agreed between them that nothing should be done in the Lucerne business un- til his return from the West. , Not until he was on his way to say adieu to the ladies at Lucerne did Warren fairly realize the state of his feelings. The shock that was to break the spell of those rapt hours of basking in the noontide glory of Leda’s beauty also sobered his brain, and showed him all the folly and mad- ness of indulging his sensuous delight in the society of a woman from whom every consideration of prudence and honor separated his destiny. Even if he were wild enough to dream of winning her love, each pulse of his noble heart protested against such a suit as dishonorable in him and unjust to her. The worid—er world—must never have occasion to say he had taken advantage of the misfortunes and _ necessities of a beautiful patrician lady to entrap her into an alliance that would ostracize her from her place in society, and possibly be a source of eternal regret to herself For he could not deceive himself about her innate pride of birth, and insatiate ambition to be queen of the realm her beau- ty and position opened to her, At this thought the mere idea of Leda Morgan marry- ing a social Pariah like himself caused the proud, sensitive Eomicbooks: co 3