The Illegal Marriage — page 247: what you’re looking at

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

THE ILLEGAL MARRIAGE, | 239 Pale and dejected, but bowing his head with shame, Alfred followed Stannard into Trippe’s room; but he started back with fear as he saw old Hawks there. The old man looked at him sullenly, but dared not speak. “Guerry,” said Trippe, “what is said here will be a secret between us. We know the history of the past better than you do yourself.” Alfred’s eyes had fallen upon the paper which he had given Hawks, and Trippe saw him gazing at it in terror, while his frame began to tremble sadly. Leisurely striking a match, Trippe lighted i Paper, and they saw it burn to ashes in his and. “Give me the other, Hawks. Give me all you have of this kind. Guerry, you know it is worth- less; but you shall see the only record of your weak- ness destroyed before your own eyes.” “ Alf, I cannot talk to you as I wish I could,” said Stannard, “but you have done wrong—excuse me for speaking of it, Alf,” Stannard apologized, his tender, womanly nature making it impossible for him to hurt this young man’s feelings even then; “T do it only to say that we know all—and under- stand how you were tempted.” “He forced me into it,” said Alfred, pointing to Hawks. “ And what did you do—you thief?” cried the old man, stepping menacingly toward him, “you drove m is RTS “Hawks,” said Trippe, sternly, throwing up his finger. The gesture drove Hawks back to his chair, and a look of fear came over his face. Stannard was pained to hear Alfred attempt fo throw the responsibility upon the old man in this manner, and for the moment turned to the window. “T did hope,” he said to himself, “that he was less cowardly. I never saw a young fellow so weak.” “Never mind, Alfred,” he said, aloud, “let it pass. No matter whose fault it was, you have done wrong. I refused to enter a charge against you, and Trippe would not prosecute Hawks. So far very few know Gomicbooks (elo)