José — page 152: what you’re looking at

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

JOSE. 145° girl in my house without entering into a legal relationship. When I proceeded to unfold to my old confidante just how matters stood, she nodded her head to signify she had guessed it all along, then ventured the belief that an honest girl could not have found it in her heart to trifle with an honest man to such an extent as to follow him to his home in the vastness of a wilderness.” “Stop, sir!” exclaimed Mary, pale, her lip trem- bling; “I did not follow you. It was my father I obeyed in coming!” “Am I accusing you, Mary?” McGregor said, bending forward. “Still,am I to be censured for drawing from the fact of your coming to this place that hope which I thought I had reasons to con- ceive? I did not wish to importune you after I detected my error, alas, too late!” he continued. “T wanted to wait patiently until you became thoroughly conversant with our affairs, and had come to realize that in conferring happiness upon a man who deems himself worthy of you, you were pursuing the right course in solving all perplexing problems that now present themselves. Your father’s unavoidable journey precipitates matters. Now, I implore you, Mary, say what you intend — doing! Will vou confide vourself to the keeping of a man who will make your happiness the one study of his life? In that case you may trust to the future to bring what you vainly look, for in the present. But if you still refuse—well, Miss Mary, I must ac- knowledge Iam at my wits’ end what to advise.” Saying which, McGregor left the room, followed by Brown. Eomichooks (e(o)