A Struggle for a Ring — page 291: what you’re looking at

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

: . .<@ OP's . 58 nn ee et ek) z way l 5 _ : Aint 9 ‘ ” tx —~ »* i a . Spistio > > -/ - =i e : : < ae Ot es ad a it “ir oe PO ey. os "eee : . — ° a , » Sag A CRUSHED FLOWER. 287 ‘*T may be quite wrong,” she said ; ‘‘ but then you see, Vivian, I love you, and I watch you. What are you think- ing of when your eyes grow dark and your face all shadow? _ when you rouse with a deep, sudden sigh? when you clench your fingers, as you did just now round my poor fan?” ‘* How can I tell?” he replied. ‘‘ Men think of a hun- dred things each minute. Defend me, Lady Ethel. Do ycu suspect me of having a secret?” She raised her beautiful eyes, which had in them an expression of most perfect love and trust. ‘*T never suspect you,” she said, simply; ‘‘ you are like Ceesar’s wife to me—above suspicion.” , He bowed, he could not trust himself to speak; but Ailie heard and saw it all. Then Lady Waldrove changed the conversation, greatly to her son’s relief; but Lady Ethel wondered very much. ‘The time had been when, if he had a chance of talking to her, nothing could equal his delight or his animation; now he seemed to count his words. How could she guess that every one of these words was like a stab to the gentle girl whose fair face was turned from them? So, presently, when the countess quitted the room in: search of a letter she wanted to show her son, Lady Ethel turned to him. ‘The quiet girl in the gray dress, working so busily, was of less moment to her than the pictures on the wall, or the carpet on the floor. She did not even lower her voice lest Ailie should hear her. Who was Ailie, indeed, that she should have ears to hear? | ‘Lord Carsdale,” she said, ‘‘have I displeased you— \ vexed you in any way?” | He gave one quick look at Ailie, his wife. What would she think of such a question? ‘‘No,” he replied, in a shy, constrained voice. ‘*We , _