Thrice Wedded, but Only Once a Wife — page 126: what you’re looking at

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

THRICE WEDDED. 417 he replied, starting to his feet and pacing back and forth. ‘Do you know this man, who, I am told, is my father?” | ‘“Know him?” replied Robert, bitterly. ‘<I know him as an enemy—as my father’s bitterest enemy; and I begin to feel convinced that he is concerned in that plot against me. Yes, yes; I see it all now—fool that I have been, not to think of it before!” a He struck his hand violently against his brow as he re called what the chief had told him—about his father’s un- lawful marriage, and his being an illegitimate son. Then his mind went far back to the day when he and Dora went to the squire to be married; his questions and — emotion concerning his mother; and he realized at once that there was a deep and vile plot on foot to destroy him. He remembered that the squire had a nephew, and was convinced that 1t was he who had seen Dora, become at- tached to her, and was resolved to marry her, taking this way to get rid of him in order to make his own way clear. He was deeply agitated, and wondered what his father thought had become of him. And Dora—would she think he had willfully*deserted her? He feared so, feeling that his enemy would urge this view of the case, and eventually win her for himself. He was nearly frantic with the thought, and forgot where he was—forgot everything but that he would wreak the bit- terest vengeance upon the vile plotters, could he but lay his hands upon them; and wrung his hands in his agony, ut- terly regardless of the two beautiful eyes that were wistfully following his every movement. ‘Yes, yes; it is as I fear, without doubt. Oh, why does Heaven permit such wickedness to go unpunished? Is there no way that I can escape, that I may thwart them? Oh, Heaven, give me strength to bear this, or I shall so mad!” ee threw himself, exhausted, into a chair, and groaned aloud. The lovely girl opposite him arose, and gliding softly to his side, laid one of her small white hands upon his arm, and said; co cComicbooks