In Sight of St. Paul's — page 94: what you’re looking at

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

HEART 10 HEART. Bo He had hardly dared to ask the question, but at the answer, he felt as if the gates of Paradise,.once closed upon him, were now opening wide before him. Fletcher caught him by the arm. He realized that the time had come for him to speak, and to speak frankly from his superior knowledge as an onlooker. ‘Look here, Tom, old fellow,’’ he said, in a very low, but serious voice. ‘‘You’ll excuse what I’m going to say. But, if you think Aileen ever loved Harry, you are—well, a colossal ass ain’t in it, don’t you know? Takeatip! ‘There’s another fellow she cares for! Think it over! Give the ass a chance. Look here,’’ looking full in the face ‘om, who was almost gasping with the possibility thus suddenly opened before him, ‘‘I’ve seen it all along. I’m a senseless idiot in some things, I admit, but,’’ with force, ‘‘I’m not a damned fool!”? With these words, Gillie wrenched himself away, and before Tom, who longed to hear something nore explicit, could prevent him by word or action, he had darted out ot the room, discreetly closing the door behind him. Tom, half stupefied, half overjoyed, stared after him fora moment, and then he turned to where Aileen stood, the firelight glowing warmly upon her graceful figure. ‘Give the ass a chance!’’ he repeated, to himself. ‘Who is the ass, I wonder ?’’ cS Eomichoo -€O