Thrice Lost, Thrice Won — page 133: what you’re looking at

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

_ -working hard—that is all. I have to labor for my gly Meee. et 7 Ay *) PP, cae WUE Sasa re ‘ uu , =) & : me . 7 *0 v7 iy lP, ’ : i “> cy vie zh) , i : Mh » Ng} , ea me 128° } On | Christmas | Dye oe. “Dinner, 1 Mise Helen!” throwing obese the & 21 ie a 10 om door, sharply; “and everything getting cold.” — 18 A j ait a otk Se Mr. Bartram drew Estella’s hand within his am, a nd fc lowed Miss Mallory to the dining-room. She See ae - Here the gas blazed down upon the antique — silver and china, and here, for the first time, the female triad had a 1 ull _- view of their guest. — ng sa “Alwyn,” Miss M allory said, hurriedly, “have you been a ill ” Be: eo Eee For the dark face intent hapdeed arid worn, the checks sunken, the large eyes hollow, and deep lines that only time» | or trouble can plow furrowed the smooth, broad forehead. a e “He’s got ten years older since last ‘September ! Me ‘ “cried : Norah. “He looks like a man just out of a sick-be Nee ag Kstella’s great brown eyes fixed themselves in maaan: in- | quiry upon the handsome, altered face. ‘She, oe, Saw, ‘the | é change. eee | : Alwyn Bartram laughed, but the laugh sounded hollow ‘and mirthless, and a fierce flash shot from his somber eyes. — ce 4 : — “Sick ?” he said. “No, I am never sick. I have | been YY or un Bw. bread now, you know. Helen, never mind my haggard | looks — —a week in-old Chelsea will set me up again.” | a “Can it be the loss of his uncle’s wealth ¢ v? thonght old ‘. “He is in debt, no doubt—young men are always in. debt. ae Something is certainly wrong. Ah, if he would only n marry ~— istella, and take my fortune, how : gladly. I would resign it! 1 If I could only summon courage to speak.” . # “Can that beautiful lady have deserted ‘yin ” Donate | : EsteHa, stumbling unconsciously upon the truth. - “Some : great trouble has surely come to him” But, nol” No Ta c y 4 alive could preve false to him!” ‘Na “HHe’s bilious,” thought Norah;: “your dark, ‘thin people a are always bilious,-and, I daresay, if the truth ‘was known, © he drinks more than is good for him. > ‘Young: men always do; and they sit up all night playing cards and going 10 ; parties: He’s bilious—that’s what’s the matter.” | “a So each had her own theory, but no one spoke. There. wis that in the rigid compression of his mustached mouth, in- 1 the fiery gleam of his hollow eyes that warned them his altered © looks was dangerous ground. He ate and drank, he talked an ad. laughed; but the appetite for Norah’s dainties was feat? ' and the talk and the laughter had a forced and joyless aa: Helen Mallory watched her guest very closely, Very silently, during the next three or four days. _He had | set up his easel in his pretty room, and worked hard; ¢ nd Hele had a fancy for taking her sewing and sitting by t window whilst he painted. sae Estella ¢ came, too, but | oie re nt sR aa Ret Sit om it ‘| icc 50 OOKS.COr