The Illegal Marriage — page 185: what you’re looking at

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

THE ILLEGAL MARRIAGE. 177 “He has never told me anything except that Mr. Guerry was there.” “He came there with the paper you had given him. Mr. Martin always believed that Alfred was trying to get your money, and told him then that you were a poor girl. Peyton Crawford was present. Ido not know all that happened there, but Guerry did not behave like a gentleman. He left ina rage, saying he was going to appeal to you. | “Colonel Stannard was much distressed at this, and offered him all the money that you needed; he was afraid to add another trouble to yours, and begged Alfred to return. oe “Angry with them, but more particularly with himself, he left town at once for Macon. That very evening he called on Minnie Johnson, and——” “And what, Hattie? Do not keep back anything from me.” “She came to me to ask, the next morning, if it was true that he was never engaged to you. Alfred had told her that there was no formal engagement.” “Tam glad of that,” said Cecy, clasping her friend still closer. * “So am I, for your sake, dear; but the worst is yet to come—he proposed to her, and she refused him.” “Tam glad of that, too.” “Cecy, as sure as we live heisa bad man. Mr. Martin gave me some hints which seemed to show that Alfred was in deeper trouble. The day before I left, a detective was looking for him.” Cecy gave a little cry and raised her head. “What for—what was it for?” she asked, quickly. “Tf it was about——” “Nothing about this trouble, Cecy, Mr. Martin assured me of that; but he hoped that it might lead to some developments of the mystery which seems to shroud your father’s death. But let me tell the rest. When I told Mr. Martin about Alfred’s pro- posal to Miss Johnson, he left at once to find him. He found Alfred in the street, and there confessed that he was mistaken about your property—that there was no will, as he had supposed. Eomicboo Sj (Elo)