Lady Evelyn — page 188: what you’re looking at

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

" Bathee ae Loven ge os 387 stopped aE for an instant, sent the blood suddenly surging back to her face. She reared her stately little head erect, her lips compressed, her eyes ominously sparkling and bright. “No. Show the gentleman in at once.’ Madame, considerably surprised, left the room to obey. Minnette stood by the window, the card between her Singers, haughty as a young duchess. An instant later, and the tall, stalwart. form of Colonel Drummond towered in the door- -way, which he had to stoop his head to pass, and father and daughter stood face to face for the first time. He was quite white with sup- pressed feeling, she erect, superb, defiant. And it was her clear, ringing voice that first spoke. “Colonel Drummond does me an unexpected honor! I knew he was in St. Louis, but I hardly thought he would care to see me.”’ “You knew, then, who I was?” “Why, yes, monsieur,” Minnette said, carelessly. “J suspected—thought that Colonel Robert Drummond might be the Robert Drummond who drove his wifé and child from him seventeen years ago. That was rather a dastardly act, although, they say, Colonel Drummond fishts well. But physical prowess is often a villain’s vir- tue.” . | “You knew me?” he repeated, slowly, paying no heed to her stinging words. “You knew |] was here? You knew I was your father, and yet ‘ Mignannette broke into a laugh—a low, bitter, derisive laugh. “What would monsieur have? Was I to go to you, to fling my arms round your neck, to ery out, as we do on the ‘stage : ‘My long-lost father, behold your child!’ So devoted a husband, so tender a parent, surely deserved no less’ I have been cruelly ungrateful, have I not, Mon- sieur le Colonel? And you very properly came here to chide me for my unfilial disrespect.” “My child, how bitter you are! Was it your mother taught you this?” | “My mother!’ Minnette said, her mocking face turn- ing upon him, flushed and passionate. “My mother is an angel, and you area demon! You dare to take her name on your lips+-you, who broke her heart, who drove her (ele) CO micboo <