A Struggle for a Ring — page 378: what you’re looking at

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

374 WATCHED, / ‘‘Good-night,” he repeated. ‘‘Oh, hasten, Ailie, for your own sake, child.” He stood at the door and watched her while she hast- ened away through the thick gloom. ‘There was no light, no sound, no stir, no movement; and, as he fastened his door again, he said to himself that it was a most fortunate escape. : He went to the lamp and opened the folded paper; he saw on it marks of tears—great blots where the hot tears had fallen. ‘*Poor child!” he said again to himself, ‘‘I wonder what she has said to me?” He kept the little note one or two minutes unopened in his hand. Did she consent, or did she not? Poor Ailie! what sorrow his love had brought her. ‘Then he read, written in a trembling hand: ‘*It would have been sweet and easy to die for you—it is harder to live and give you up; but, for your sake, and bécause I love you so well, I will even do that. I consent ~ to what you ask me; but, if you wish me well, do not ask me to take your money when you refuse to give me your love. When we are parted, it must be altogether, and I will work—I will take nothing from you. So, Heaven bless you, and good-by, my lost love—my own love, my dead love, good-by.”’ He read the simple, loving words through a mist of tears. ‘‘She is the noblest woman in all the world,” he said ; ‘‘there is no other so brave, so generous, so good.” _ Then he placed the little note aside—so far his mind was at rest. Once more he opened the door and lookec through the thick gloom; there was no sign, no sound. Ailie had evidently reached her own room in safety, and (E(0) GEomicboo