Stella Rosevelt — page 331: what you’re looking at

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

MUTUAL EXPLANATIONS. 325 CHAPTER XXXIV. MUTUAL EXPLANATIONS. ‘‘Have J made a mistake? Have I wronged you?” Ralph Meredith asked, when the door was shut, while he gazed blankly at his companion, and feeling convinced in his heart that no man could show the emotion which Lord Carrol mani- fested at the mention of Star, and willfully betray her. ‘‘Tf I were nut confident that you 4ad made a mistake,” his lordship returned, drawing himseli up with dignity, though he was still very pale and deeply agitated—‘‘if I did not believe that you share in the misunderstanding which has been the cause of all Miss Gladstones trouble and my own exceeding sorrow, I could not pass lightly over the disparaging imputation which you have cast upon me to-night. Iam no traitor, Mr. Meredith. J have never willingly wronged Miss Gladstone, for I have loved her, and I do love her to-day, with a deathless love. My plurality of names, as I told you before,” he went on, with a wan smile, ‘‘has been the cause of it all; and if Star has unconsciously been made a victim on account of it, I also have suffered in no small degree. Sit down, Mr. Mere- dith, and let me tell you all about it;” and he motioned him to a chair. ‘‘Not until I have apologized for my rash words to you, my lord,” Ralph said, in a manly, straightforward way, and ad- vancing to him, convinced now of his honor, an:! that he had never intended Star even a thought of harm. ‘' Miss Gladstone,” he continued, ‘‘confided the story of her grief to me only a short time before I sailed fer Europe, al:hough she did not enter into particulars very minutely. [| think she had not the Icomicvooks: =)