A Struggle for a Ring — page 122: what you’re looking at

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

ae at / 118 A HUSBAND’S CAUTION. tember—he wants it to take place in October, if we can manage it. I think wecan. It isa great thing for Linda. I shall feel that I have not lived in vain if I live long enough to see my children marry well. I shall begin to ~ think for you next, Vivian.” Yet, as she spoke, she knew that she had arranged every detail of his marriage with the Lady Ethel. She merely spoke so to throw him off his guard. His face was pale with pain when he turned to her. ‘‘Do not think about my marriage, mother,” he said; **T shall not marry.” ‘“You must!” she answered, with her cold, clear, piti- less voice. ‘‘ Whether you wish to marry or not, you must do so. An estate like this demands sacrifices, and they must be made. You will marry quickly enough— you are young enough to enjoy freedom now.” ‘‘T shall never marry, mother,” he repeated; but Lady Waldrove only laughed—she did not pay the least atten- tion to his words, ‘‘ Have you been disappointed in love already, Vivian?” she asked. He looked up with an air of relief. ‘‘T have admired many girls,” he said, ‘‘and I have been sorry for others; but I never even imagined myself in love in all my life.” ‘There 1s some comfort in that,” thought the countess a to herself. ‘‘Many young men of his age have gone through half a dozen love affairs,” She little dreamed that the love affairs of other men had been baby-play when compared with the affair of ‘‘ honor” of her son. The countess sent her invitation, and it was accepted. She was delighted, but she said little. Her son’s pre- (e(0) cComicbooks m :