A Struggle for a Ring — page 174: what you’re looking at

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

170 A STRANGE PARTING. encircling arms. Every vestige of color faded from her face, an awful fear darkened her eyes. ‘‘Gone!” she repeated; ‘‘gone, Hettie!” The terrible whisper thrilled the younger sister’s heart. ‘‘ You must be mistaken ; he did not wish me good-by !” ‘*Oh, my darling!” sobbed Hettie, ‘‘do not take it in that way—do not take it so hardly; he is not worth it.” Another wild cry, and Alice tried to spring from those strong arms, ‘‘Let me go, Hettie; you are killing me. Let me go,- I say! You must not try to hold me. He is my husband, and I mus¢see him. I must see him, or I must die!” ‘“But, Alice, you cannot; he is gone; he is nearly at the station by this time.” ‘*T must see him,” gasped the poor child; ‘‘he must kiss me; I shall perhaps never see him again. Hettie, for the love of Heaven, do not try to stop me! I shall die if you do.” - . Double strength seemed to come to her. She tore her- self from Hettie, and hastened to the door, but Hettie | ve feared a scene, and caught her before it was opened. _ **Aliee, darling,’’ she said, ‘‘it is too late; it is, indeed. He is gone; he will have left the station by this time; you cannot see him; it is not possible. Try to under- stand me—he is gone.” | | For the sweet, sad eyes were raised, and were fixed so wistfully on hers, that Hettie cried out in distress. ‘What shall I do?” she said. ‘‘Shall I make her un- derstand ?” | She took the trembling hands in her own. ~ ‘‘ My darling Alice,” she said, ‘‘I cannot understand it at all. I thought—we all thought—that you had said good-by to him. It cannot be possible that he has left comic 900KS ¢ ~ ¥ ~~ "hed .com-