A Struggle for a Ring — page 139: what you’re looking at

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

THE SPELL WORKS. 135 quisitely dressed, but none equaled the fair, peerless Lady Ethel. The ceremony was a perfect success—there was not one single drawback. Lady Waldrove looked down the long line of noble guests with a heart full of satisfied pride and ambition. If*Lord Rawdon would only propose to Lady Gertrude, and Vivian marry Lady Ethel, she would be, she thought, the proudest, happiest woman in the world. The dejeuner was a scene to be remembered. It was doubly delightful to Lord Carsdale, because he sat next to Lady Ethel; it was not the place appointed for him— Lady Waldrove was far too diplomatic for such straight- forward hints. The seat was intended for Sir Harry Fullie, and the brilliant belle looked up with a smile as Lord Carsdale took it. ‘That is Sir Harry’s place, Lord Carsdale,” she said. ‘‘Is it, Lady Ethel? You see, I have followed your ~ advice; I have taken the place I wanted, no matter who else has claim to it.” It was a fatal thing for him. Long before that breakfast was over he said to himself that he was hopelessly in love with this beautiful young queen; that out of all the world she .avas the one woman for him; that he loved her with the deepest, maddest passion man ever had for woman yet, and that he must leave her—leave her before harm came of his mad love. Then he saw what he had done; he had bound himself for life; he had married a beautiful, untaught girl, who could never be a wife for him; he had married, and ruined, and blighted his whole life, and there was nothing left for him. He saw it all now. But for this rash, foolish marriage, he might have wooed and perhaps have (E(0) m GComicbooks