The Illegal Marriage — page 151: what you’re looking at

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

THE ILLEGAL MARRIAGE, = 148 “Let me help you, Cecy. Confide in me and I will thank you for it.” ) His manner, earnest and impressive as it was, affected her more than his words, and whispering a “Heaven bless you,” she took his hand and carried it to her lips. “T cannot tell her,” he thought, “it is too bad— too bad.” He could not summon the resolution, and went out to join Raborn on the porch. “Have you told her?” the latter asked. “Raborn, I could not; my heart failed me.” “Then I shall have it to do.” re “Give me one more day—give me until to-morrow, and I will tell her.” Raborn agreed to this, and Stannard rode home, deeply affected. “I would give my right arm,” he cried, “if I could save her from this.” The day was far advanced ere Stannard came, on the following morning to the castle, and entered Cecy’s room. She was seated by the window, with some needlework in her lap. Her neatly-fitting black dress, with white collar and cuffs fastened with jet brooch and buttons, made her sad face look more beautiful than ever to his eyes; but as he con- tinued to gaze upon her face, he saw the traces of care, and knew that suffering had told upon her. Cecy greeted him kindly, and extended her hand. “Hxcuse me for not rising, Colonel Stannard.” “Certainly. Pray do not move,” he said, drawing a chair near her own. ; “Ah! colonel, that look tells me a secret. You think it is because I am weak; but you are mis- taken. I’m quite strong now—but you see I have - my lap full of work.” “Tam glad to hear you say so, Cecy,” he replied ; yet in his heart he felt that he was far from glad at her rapid recovery. Very pleasantly she chatted to him, and he listened in silence, scarcely heeding what she said. Cecy observed that his mind was wandering, and that his eyes were looking away into the land of thought. Eomicboo cS (ele) S natt 4 Pane eT aE.