A Struggle for a Ring — page 280: what you’re looking at

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

276 AILIE'S PROMISE. ‘‘T can answer for myself,” she said, proudly. ‘‘ Because I love you, do you think me weak?” “‘T do not,” he replied. She took courage from his kinder tone. «Let me stay, Lord Carsdale,” she said. ‘‘I,will promise you faithfully, that at the very first shadow of anger to you or to me, I will go—I will not linger one moment. Until that time comes, do not shut the face of the smiling heavens away from me.” **T will not,” he said; ‘‘you shall stay. I know lam weak in yielding, but I cannot send you away. Poor Ailie! and so you have learned to love me so dearly. You shall stay, and I will trust to your honor; yet I shall be better content if you repeat your promise. Place. your hands in mine’’—she placed her hands in his, and stood looking up at him with a rapt expression of face that was very beauti- ful. ‘‘Say after me: ‘I promise never, even under pain of death, to reveal the secret of my marriage.’ ” She repeated the words, slowly and solemnly.. ‘I trust you, Ailie,” he said; ‘‘and now, do you not think it would be wise and well for you to return? It is very late, and I should not like you to run any risk.” ‘Ves; I will go,” she said. Then she stood quite still for a few minutes, looking at him. Had he no kinder word—had he not even a brother's kiss to give her, after all these long years? He saw the pathetic wistfulness on her face, but did not under- stand it. He understood every expression, every change on Lady Ethel’s face; but this was a sealed page to him. ‘‘Good-night, Ailie,” he said, holding out his hand. ‘If, in my surprise at seeing you, I said anything very harsh, you must please forgive me. I was excited, and did not measure my words.” comicbooks