Stella Rosevelt — page 391: what you’re looking at

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

REHEARSING THE PAST. 385 she were but listening, in a well-bred sort of way, to the bab- blings of a spoiled child. ‘‘T presume you have heard,” she resumed, ‘‘ that we came abroad to take possession of the estates of Sir Charles Thorn- ton, whose death leaves mamma the nearest of kin, and there- fore we shall all henceforth occupy a very high position in this country.” ‘‘Indeed?” Star responded, as if it were a matter of no mo- ment to her. ‘‘I have heard of Sir Charles Thornton, but I did not know that you were ‘nearest of kin’ to him.” ‘‘Well, you know it now,” Josephine retorted, sharply, beginning to lose her temper at Star's immobility; ‘‘and for- tunately we can do exceedingly well without Uncle Jacob’s money, which you so cunningly managed to wheedle him out of. We shall not return to America, for we can enjoy so much more here among the nobility, where, as I told you before, our position is so high, and mine fartcularly, you know, as—as Lady Carrol, is one to be rather envied.” This last, she thought, must be a dagger in the fair girl’s breast, but she was wholly unprepared to have it turned against her own. | ‘‘May I take the liberty to ask Miss Richards what she means by the statements which she has made—to explain her- self, if indeed that is fossible,” said a deep, stern voice just behind her. Both girls started and turned instantly at the sound, and both uttered a cry—one of surprise, the other of dismay. Lord Carrol himself stood in the door-way of the conserva- tory from which Josephine had entered, and through which he had passed on his way from another portion of the building back to the drawing-room. He had seen Ralph Meredith and Mr. Rosevelt but a mo- ment or two after Star slipped away. They told him that she was there, and he had instantly left them to seek her. Eomicbooks,¢co