Penny Blood Serial Fiction — page 336: what you’re looking at

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

THE TEST OF LOVE - 319 He sprang forward,—a cry of joy burst from Juliana’s lips; he leaped over the low palings of the garden, he would have thrown himself at her feet, but she caught him in her arms. , ‘Dearest, dearest Frank,’’ she murmured, pressing him again and again to her bosom, and covering his cheeks, his lips, and his forehead with the most impassioned kisses. ‘“ Dearest, dearest Frank, is it indeed you?’’ and more fervidly still did she embrace him, more glowing and rap- turous were the caresses she lavished upon him. ‘Beloved Julana— Oh, my beloved one!’’ and he - could say no more; his voice was choked with unutterable emotions of bliss and joy and esctasy, and if he had leisure for asingle thought apart from those feelings, it was in self- reproach that he had for an instant doubted her constancy or suspected her love. “My own dear Frank— my heart’s dearest Frank,”’ she said, drawing herself the least thing back, but still keeping her arms thrown around his lithe and slender form, ‘let me look at you, let me gaze upon your beautiful face, let me look into the depths of those handsome eyes,’’ — and as she thus spoke, with the rich blood mantling upon her own hot cheeks, her regards, half-tender, half-devouring, wandered from feature to feature of that youthful counte- nance which was indeed of the most exquisite beauty. “Then you do love me, Juliana?’’ murmured Frank, with a sweet smile that revealed the brilliancy of his ivory teeth, but he was allowed to say no more at that instant, for his lips were sealed by those of the impassioned lady, who again and again pressed him to her bosom. ‘ Love you, Frank?” she said, in a deep, earnest voice, “love you? Oh, yes, I love you beyond the power of lan- guage to describe. You know that I love you. Did not your heart tell you so? Or else why did you seek me again? Yes, beautiful and adorable boy, I love you; by this kiss I love you. And by this — and this — and this! ”’ “ Oh, my own Juliana,’? murmured Frank, ‘ a thousand anxieties are now cleared up,—a thousand cruel fears dispelled.” “ Ah, wicked boy!” responded the lady, now slightly relaxing the embrace in which she held him and looking with a sweet, deprecating archness upon his countenance, ~ CONNIE DOOKS (FO)