Thrice Lost, Thrice Won — page 131: what you’re looking at

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

me £26 roy On Christmas Eve. I live, my dear, we will never part. Let us talk of this ¢ on . —but I am only a foolish, sentimental woman, and hat hog is past.” ce aes 2 Estella lifted her hand and SE it. Ne need oon tad a to tell what that past hope had been. Pe MERC! C. | “T will write to your father in the course ot a few weeks, | my dear, and’ tell him all. When I am gone—my child, my — child, be ealm—he will come for you, and take you to sunny — France, where my Hstella will reign en princesse. But whilst more; let us wait and trust in the good God not to separate — bre “us too soon. Come, dear child 5. ; Bias will be waiting supper.” The subject was Aromas: no. one of dis puree spoke of ae again, but on every heart the thought of the coming: parting lay like lead. : “T can not reconcile myself to let hen gO to her father” it Helen Mallory thought. “Oh, why could sig Alwyn love her | -and marry her—my pretty Essie? Why must things go so © crooked that might be straight? My fortune would render — him independent of his profession and his uncle, and she would make him such a dear little, loving wife. I should — have nothing left to desire, if I could only see her his wife.” x The December days wore on. Life went very quietly in — that dull old house with-only those three women. Alwyn — Bartram’s coming was the only event likely _to disturb the © stagnant current of their slow lives. To Estella fell. the pleasant task of preparing his room—and oh, what pains the © girl took to beautify and adorn that sacred chamber! The " books he had read, the pictures he liked, the colors he pre- | ferred, the-flowers that were his favorites, all found their way | 3 there. Brightly burned the fire on his hearth-stone, — and — Estella’ s Christmas gifts—slippers, dressing-gown and smok- ing-cap, all her own handiwork—lay awaiting the et of | her dark- eyed hero. He came at last—a week before Christmas—late in tise evening of a snowy, windy day. A cab rattled up to the door — —trunks and valises were taken off, and Mr, Bartram him- — self, in furred cap, and long, picturesque cloak, sprang out and rang the bell. Estella saw him from thie drawitenooel window, ee trbessho had hidden behind the curtain, and her heart throbbed at the — sight of that tall, graceful form, as though it would burst its way and fly to ‘tim. Another instant, and she heard his — voice in the hall greeting Norah and Aunt Helen—t at dear | voice, the sweetest music earth ever held for her! . nother, . and he would be before her in the drawing-room, _ SS Pasa A sudden paroxysm of girlish fear seized | her; on : continently up to her own room, MEER NEL 1% ok. ri i a 4 ; . he ae u "i “«, emb, NOT yy hie, ity ac