Thrice Wedded, but Only Once a Wife — page 109: what you’re looking at

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

100 THRICE WEDDED. “Fair is she as the dreams young poets weave— Bright eyes, and dainty lips, and tresses curly— In outward loveliness a child of Eve, But cold as nymph of Lurley!” A slight commotion in the hall attracted their attention, toward the middle of the forenoon. There were steps going back and forth, and anxious, troubled whispers; then the voices grew to muttering, and then louder, till the ladies sitting so quietly in their room could hear quite plainly what was said, and Dora instantly recognized the voice of Mr. Hilerton; the other one she did not know. ‘It is the strangest thing,” she heard Robert’s father say, ‘‘T ever knew the boy to do! It doesn’t seem like Robert at all! He never was a coward about anything when he was at home, and I can’t understand his showing the white feather now. Besides, the letter doesn’t read like him; itis too precise and constrained.” : ‘‘But you say the writing is his?” asked the other voice. “Yes, as near as | can tell. You know I have not seen much of it forthe last six years. Iwill show it to you; you can judge better than I, as you have probably seen more of it a3 ? ‘There was a rustling, as if some one was unfolding a let- ter, then a moment of quiet, and the strange voice again said: ‘It certainly looks like his hand, though perhaps a little straggling, asif written ina hurry. But I canuot under- stand why he should do snch a dishonorablething. As you say, it is not in the least like him. I have always had the. greatest respect for him, thinking him one of the most noble and manly young men I ever met with.” ‘Did you have any idea of his having formed another at- tachment in this place?” asked Mr. Ellerton, with a deep sigh. “eM 0; and that is what puzzles me. But there is his own word for it in black and white; and can we doubt 1t? Iam deeply disappointed—deeply!” and the unhappy father’s sigh was echoed from the breast of the other. “It is very strange; for when he left home neither coaxing nor threats would move him an inch. He was thoroughly - bewitched; and I did not think he was one that would change.” ‘OomiIicboo “S Eo