A Struggle for a Ring — page 170: what you’re looking at

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

— 166 A STRANGE PARTING. difference of his lady-wife insulted him. Great Heaven! what had he done, that his life should be spent or mixed with such lives as these? He said as little as possible, for while he was talking the stately, patrician grace of the Lady Pierpont, the delicate, fairy-like loveliness of Lady Ethel, all came before him. He could not help it; he tried hard, but it was impossible to drive them away. He said little; he was going abroad, and it was quite uncertain how long he should remain there; he should settle on Ailie a certain yearly sum, to be paid quarterly; he would also, at any time, help the family in any of their difficulties; then, to Frank’s half annoyance, half delight, he gave the dancing-master a good round check, which was to defray the expenses of two years’ good. schooling for him, and then he promised to send further assistance to enable him to make his choice of a trade or profession. He hardly glanced at the boy as he talked to his father, and Frank resented that fact most bitterly. ‘‘He might look at me; Iam not quite the dirt beneath his feet. After all, he has married my own sister; why need he be so high and mighty?” And as the boy sat there, he took mental notes of his brother-in-law. Yes, when he was grown up he would wear just such shining bcots, and he should give his hair that same particular waving look; he would have diamond studs and a diamond pin; then this supercilious man should see that other people could look quite as well as he did. Hettie sat in a state of burning indignation. Why did he come trying to patronize them with his airs, his graces, and his money, while he had barely a civil word to speak to them, and was breaking Alice’s heart? Hettie would EeGom G JOO S (