The Mission of Poubalov — page 135: what you’re looking at

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

LIZZIE WHITE. 131 didn’t know until 1 got this letter that the whole city had falked about me. They have said that I eloped with Mr. Strobel, and that settles it, Isuppose. Why didn’t you let nother write to me the day she received my letter?’’ _**T didn’t ask her not to write,’’ replied Clara, feeling a little guilty at the thrust; perhaps she had gone too far in influencing the communication between mother and daughter, setting her own anxieties and griefs above theirs. ‘“‘I asked her not to mention Mr. Strobel’s disap- 30 because I confidently expected to obtain proofs in the evening that he could not have gone with you.” “Then you did think so!’’ cried Lizzie triumphantly; ‘vou did fear, at least, that all your education and money and high society ways were not enough to keep him from falling in love with a poor girl who has no position!’’ “Thad no such thought,’’ returned Clara, greatly dis- tressed; ‘‘I did think that you would be happier to know that such a thought could not occur to me, as you would know if the circumstances were such as to prove that Mr. Strobel could not have come to New York.”’ *Me, happy!’’ exclaimed Lizzie, bitterly, and then in the same breath—‘‘You found it quite possible that he could have come, didn’t you?”’ _ Ignoring the last part of her remark, Clara quickly took her cue from the first, and said very gently: “Your mother showed me your letter in which you said fou could be almost happy.’’ - The color rushed to Lizzie’s cheeks as she replied: “Mother ought to have known better.”’ _ Then she shut her lips hard together, and it was plain aat she was obstinately determined to say no more on hat subject. _ “T have sincerely tried, ”? said Clara, ‘‘to think and act in a friendly way, Lizzie.’ _“Priendly witha rival!’’ and again Lizzie laughed with jitter scorn. *T should not need the evidence of your words,”’ re- sarance, and she chose herself not to write atall. I did - S (CG) h- CONNICLO