A Fair Fraud — page 104: what you’re looking at

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

A Fair Fraud 93 her neck told him suddenly what he had betrayed. ‘I am one of those men,’ he went on lightly, with a smile, ‘who all through my life have always been ‘‘too late” for life’s best prizes.’ ‘Mr Edgar Naylor, the successful barrister, ought to be the last man on earth to say that !’ she answered with a smile. ‘Forgive me, he murmured, ‘and if you can guess for what I crave forgiveness, then, in your goodness, give me one of those fading roses on your dress.’ In all his life, Naylor— man of the world—rising barrister—had never before made such a request of any woman. She was pushing back the music-stool and putting out the candles on the piano. Naylor waited. She made as though she wuuld pass him, and he drew back. She turned her face for a moment towards him. ‘There is nothing at all to forgive,’ she said simply. ‘Good night.’ And as she brushed by him quickly, a drooping Marshal Niel rose fell out of the bosom of her dress at his feet. He stooped and picked it up. She had already gone, and he stuffed it quickly and almost guiltily into the breast pocket of his coat. Late that evening, long after the guests from the neighbourhood had driven away, whilst those in the house had retired to their re- GOMMGIOO <S (GO) uu