The Mission of Poubalov — page 137: what you’re looking at

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

LIZZIE WHITE. 133 ne further move to discover whether in any way she light be allied with Poubaloy. ‘ “Has anybody been to see you this morning?” she sked. ot to do with it?’’ “Everything, I think,’’ said Clara. ‘‘It looks as if he d caused Mr. Strobel’s disappearance, abducted him in act, and I know that he followed me to New York.”’ _ Lizzie was not keen enough to see that Clara had in- arred a possible collusion between herself and Poubaloyvy. “Then,’’ she said, ‘‘Mr. Strobel did not desert you at ll!’ and the tears welled from her eyes afresh. Clara tnew that she would speak further, and after a moment, vith her face in her hand, Lizzie moaned: ‘‘I am very un- lappy, Miss Hilman.’% ‘and I don’t ask you to tell me anything. I am sorry I ) ed to break in on you; but if you understood how I have jeen more than puzzled by the strange conduct of Mr. Stro- al’s enemy, you would forgive me.”’ _ **Forgive? Why, Miss Hilman, it is my place to ask for forgiveness. I was so brutal when you first came in. Don t you see, I,’’ her voice faltered pitiably but she con- tinued desperately, ‘‘I loved Mr. Strobel before he ever met you, I think. He never mentioned love to me, but he was so good and kind that I foolishly thought he was fond of me. I suffered horribly when he told us of his engage- ment, and I couldn’t get over it. I thought of running “away many times, but I couldn’t bring myself to do so while he was still with us. I thought perhaps I would feel ‘differently after he was gone, but on that morning when he was getting ready for the church, I simply couldn’t en- dure the thought of staying in the house any longer. Sol came away. I hadn’t madeany preparation. I took the first train I could get, and while I was waiting I wrote a ‘note to mother. Did you see it? No? I started to tell her “‘No,”’ replied Lizzie; ‘‘what has this man you mention * “You must be, Lizzie,’’ returned Clara, caressing her, x (C@ thy I went, but I couldn’t, and I scratched the vwondt saa