Stella Rosevelt — page 277: what you’re looking at

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

“WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?” 271 Therefore she had a new role to play, and she would begin at once by claiming him as a relative before these friends of hers. ‘‘Tt would be very strange if I did zo/ know him, for he is my father’s* brother,” she said, calling to her lips her blandest smiles; ‘‘but I am sure I had no idea that he was here in Newport. Come, Josephine, we must go and speak to him ;” , and she drew the astonished girl away before they could ques- tion them any further, and she wished to collect her own scat- tered senses a little before encountering those two whom she had so deeply injured. ‘What can it mean, mamma?’ Josephine repeated, with a blank look, for she had no longer any doubt about the identity of the strangers, ‘‘T don’t know, but Iam going to find out,” she answered, resolutely. ‘*Then you are convinced that it is Stella?” ‘‘Yes, it is ¢haf girl fast enough; there can be no mistake about it; and what a sensation she is making! She seems to checkmate us at every move.’ ‘*Where can they have been hiding. all this time?” Josephine asked. ‘‘ How do you suppose I know?” retorted her mother, sharply. ‘‘lam more interested to know where all the money comes from to enable them to cut such a swell. Why, the dress she has on must have cost a cool three hundred, to say nothing about her other expensive fixings; and ects Bik heard what Pendleton said about her carriage and ponies.” ‘Well, he said she was the author of ‘ Chatsworth’s Pride,’ and if that is so, it must have brought her a good deal?” ‘*Pooh! you don’t suppose one book is going to enable her to live and dress like a young empress, do you?” returned Mrs, (E(0) Gomicbooks *