Thrice Wedded, but Only Once a Wife — page 77: what you’re looking at

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

68 THRICE WEDDED, Moulton, you have taken the wrong way to obtain them. I am not one to be forced!” _ ‘Forgive me, my beautiful one; but I could not help it, and on my knees I beg your pardon,” pleaded Ralph Moulton, with white face and imploring eyes upraised to hers. ‘«’'Tis useless; I do not and cannot love you.” He was on his feet again in an instant, while the hot, angry blood mounted to his brow. ‘Is that answer final, Dora Dupont?” he asked between his set teeth. ‘It is,” she returned, coldly. “And now allow me, if you _ please, to return to my guests.” She began to wonder within herself how she had ever tolerated this man’s presence. He placed himself directly in her way while he said: «“T warn you, Dora Dupont, to beware. Lam notone to be trifled with. I give you one more opportunity to accept as - true and pure a love as ever throbbed in the heart of man or woman. _ Wil you accept 16?” “Never! ‘tough I swear—hear me—I swear you shall yet be my wife! Think not that I care for that foolish, childish ceremony; that can easily be set aside. Yes, you ‘need not start and grow pale—I know your whole history. You lit- tle dreamed that it was the nephew of the man who - bound you and your boy lover together; who bowed down and worshiped you. That marriage was illegal; I can prove it, and besides there were no witnesses. And then I have a sweet little secret for your ear that may cause you to change your mind, and accept my offer. I presume you think you are wedded to an honorable person, and the son of a wealthy man. But let me undeceive you! Robert _ Ellerton, Jr., has no right to his name! Come nearer and let me whisper, lest the winds should perchance gather the words and waft them to other ears, i am the rightful son of Robert Hllerton, while he is The remainder of the sentence was bacaly preathed: in her ear; but she heard it, for she grew white to her very lips, and shivered as if with the cold; but her voice never faltered as she replied: ‘Coward, do you think I will credit your base falsehood? _ You have no proof of your vile Assertions!” - comicbooks.co