A Struggle for a Ring — page 272: what you’re looking at

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

068 “MY LOVE IS MY TORTURE.” talking to you I could run down to Rudeswell. Your in- come is paid regularly, I hope?” ‘¢'Ves,” she replied, faintly. ‘‘Then I can have nothing to see you about.” He looked up in alarm, for she had flung’ herself on the ground, and was weeping such passionate tears—he was terrified. The moon never shone on a more cruel scene, the girl with her golden hair sweeping over her like a vail —her face hidden in the long, soft grass; the man, tall, erect, and angry, with perplexed, angry wonder in his eyes. He was touched at heart, for, like most men, Lord Cars- dale had a keen dread of tears. He raised her gently in his arms; there was no caress in the action, it was simply one of kindly pity. _ ** Ailie, what does all this mean? I do not understand vou. Speak to me reasonably—what does it mean?” “‘Tt means,” she said, ‘‘that I love you, and my love is - my torture.” ““You love me he cried; ‘‘but, Ailie, our marriage’ had nothing to do with love. I married you lest any blame from my foolish action should fall. upon you— lest in punishment for that one day’s unfortunate holi- day, you should be turned adrift on the world—there was nothing about love—nothing said or thought of it.” ‘*No,” she replied, ‘‘not on your part, I know, but there was on mine. I loved you then, although I tried to hide it. I love you now,:so entirely, so wholly, that I have no life away from my love. Jami not ashamed to tell -you, because you are my husband—you know,” ‘<VYou love me so?” he said, in astonishment. «‘Yes, so—a thousand times more!”-she cried, with sudden passion. ‘‘ More than any one ever loved another —more than I have words to tell you in,” - . | comicbooks.c