A Struggle for a Ring — page 208: what you’re looking at

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

204 AILIE’S WELCOME. Then her ladyship saw a picture that never faded from her mind while life lasted. She saw a graceful, girlish figure, ina long, trailing dress of rich gray silk; a beauti- ful, tragical face, with deep, earnest blue eyes, fringed with long lashes; a sweet, sensitive mouth, red, ripe lips, and a lovely dimpled chin; a head crowned with golden-brown hair, on which rested a bonnet that seemed to consist of white lace and a rose. It was the tragical beauty of the girl’s face that first enlisted the countess’ attention and excited her wonder. The girl was standing quietly in front of a cluster of red camellias, and Lady Waldrove, who had something of an artist's nature, exclaimed at the beauty of the picture. Then she thought to herself : _. **She is like the picture muse of Greek tragedy. What is it that her face says?. It isan uncommon story. There - will be a strange future for that girl, unless Nature has written in vain.” She hurried just a little to meet Ailie; the little spaniels _ looked up at her piteously; they confided in one another that if my lady were going on in that kind of way, the sooner they gave up the better. Ina moment of inspira- - tion Lord Waldrove had named his wife’s favorites Castor’ and Pollux. Castor whined piteously ; it was not to be expected that he should run like a dog of common origin or common manners. ‘*A pound of veal cutlets or cold chicken would not make up for this,” he thought, as he Snes < his pace to keep up with his mistress, Lady Waldrove went up to the girl; she took her hand, which was an unusual condescension—she usually received strangers with a measured smile, indifferent or pleasant, according to their rank. To this beautiful girl, with the ~ cComicboo <S.cOM ~ ——