A Struggle for a Ring — page 217: what you’re looking at

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

A SURPRISE. 213 the west? I like to lie there on my favorite couch and watch the setting sun lighting up my boy’s face; times the effect was so beautiful-that I could have fancied he smiled, but it was only the golden light falling lower and lower. Ah, what is this?” some- For suddenly, as she had let the roses fall, Ailie fell herself prone on the ground. ‘The sight of the face she worshiped with such mad, wild idolatry seemed to rob*her of all strength, her limbs failed her, even the breath seemed to freeze and die on her lips—ceiling and floor met together in one whirling rush; then she went down with a low cry, and lay quite still and motionless. ‘‘Heaven bless me!” fainted, I believe.” The earl hastened to her. wee, ~, cried the countess, ‘‘the girl has © ‘‘T call this taking a liberty in my room which I never remember any one to have taken before. Neither Ger- trude nor Linda would have done such a thing, Stephen.” ‘«Shall I ring?” asked the earl, helplessly. ‘ This combination of circumstances was rather too much » & for him. There was a sound from the lips of that prostrate figure, and Lady Waldrove, bending down, heard Ailie > Say : vd ‘‘Iam very sorry; I did not faint; the floor and the ceiling seemed to meet, and I fell. I am very sorry.” The earl raised her gently. Something in that sweet, white face seemed to touch him. ‘‘Ttis not your fault, of course,” replied the countess. ‘«T have quite a horror of invalids.” ‘‘T am not at allan invalid,” said Ailie, gently. ‘« Perhaps, ” ‘interposed the earl, ‘‘perhaps the heat of - the sun was too great, or the fragrance of the roses a? Col —a % i a ; Ks.