A Fair Fraud — page 219: what you’re looking at

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

208 A Fair Fraud ‘Is it true, Hester,’ Captain Drury whispered to the girl, ‘ you fainted because you thought it was I who had been killed ?’ She just moved her lips in assent. ‘And this wretched man who has perished —you do not, then, know who he is?’ He waited in an anguish of anxiety for her answer, but she gave him none—none at least in words —only she lifted her eyes to his, and they were filled with an unspeakable agony and entreaty, whilst her face grew white down to the very lips, as though she were about to faint again. The eager excitement faded from Kenneth Drury’s eyes. ‘Ah—h!’ he breathed slowly, ‘then—I understand! You know this man who is killed! and it’s for him that you are weeping! —he is the man for whom you wanted money! Thank you, Miss Lane. I understand you now perfectly... Mrs Lane caught the last few words, and saw from their white and troubled faces that everything had gone wrong between them. She hurried her daughter upstairs. ‘You little fool! wat did you say to him? Why did you not at once deny all knowledge ~ of the man ?’ Hester waited until they were safe in their own rooms, then she fell down on her knees at her mother’s feet. a” ElOOO© 4 (G' O)