A Struggle for a Ring — page 388: what you’re looking at

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

384 -. “T WILL SUFFER FOR HIM.” ‘‘T object to being called a woman, mamma,” said Lady Gertrude, proudly. ‘‘I will help you all I can, but you must not vent your annoyance upon me. ‘The girl must go, and go at once. I only hope that Ethel will hear nothing of it.” ‘«She is not likely to hear,” said the countess. ‘‘ Surely you and I can keepa secret, Gertrude; for her own sake, Ailie Derwent will be silent. Bring the girl here—let me speak to her while I am in the mood. Strange to say now, I always liked that girl; she seemed so gentle and good.” ‘‘T never did like her very much,” said Lady Gertrude ; ‘‘she gave me the impression of always playing a part. I “Cannot tell how, or why.” * ° . hen Lady Gertrude, with a profound feeling of pity in heart, went to summon Ailie to her mother’s presence. ilie neither moved nor stirrei. It seemed to the ‘@appy girl that the troubles of her life had now reached wtheir’ climax. Nothing could be worse—nothing more “terrible. She had gone with the simple innocence of a child to her husband’s room; it had not even occurred to her that the faintest shadow of suspicion could rest upon her-for so doing. She had gone to give him the note, but the fact that seemed to her so simple, sounded terrible asa sin in the mouth of Lady Gertrude. What was she todo? If she cleared herself at all, she must reveal the secret of her marriage, and that she had promised him never to do—never—let the secrecy cost her what it might. She clenched her hands until great red marks came into the white, tender skin; she cried aloud in her agony; but there was no escape—no hope—no release, - Either she must keep his secret, and so let them (€(0) m c} IOOKS.CO