Stella Rosevelt — page 201: what you’re looking at

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

MALICIOUS FALSEHOODS. 195 submit to. I was fond of making presents in the days that are gone, and I felt repaid for my diamonds by the joy that lighted up your face when I gave them to you; but I confess it is a little hard to be considered a burden by you now, while I am deeply grieved to have Stars young life made so un- happy. ” ‘*T tell you you do not know the girl; she is as artful as she can be, and I can prove it to you,” Mrs. Richards exclaimed, glad to have the subject changed, for she was considerably con- science smitten over the diamonds. ‘*T do not think you can prove anything of the kind, Ellen,” Mr. Rosevelt returned, quietly. ‘‘ Listen, then,” she retorted, eagerly, ‘‘and I will tell you how to-night I have discovered her to be guilty of the most shameless conduct.” Star started and flushed at the accusation. She had nota suspicion that her secret had been discovered. ‘“Tt seems,” continued Mrs. Richards, ‘‘that while going back and forth, to and from school this fall, she has been flirt- ing in the most desperate manner with a young man—a perfect stranger to her, and one so far above her socially that it was rankest presumption in her to do as she has done. She has even entrapped him into—or rather, I should say, she has mis- construed his conversation with her to mean a declaration of love for her, and now that he has found her out and turns with disgust from her artful designing, she has shamelessly taxed him with unfaithfulness and treachery.” Star turned and regarded her accuser in perfect amazement. She could scarcely credit her sense of hearing. How did Mrs. Richards know anything about her meetings with Lord Carrol, alias Archibald Sherbrooke, or of her interest in him? And who had represented it in this disgraceful light? . ‘“This young man,” the cunning woman went on, ‘‘is no other than Lord Carrol, who, for the month that we were at Gomicbooks (EO)