The American Marquis by Nick Carter — page 165: what you’re looking at

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

THE AMERICAN MARQUIS. __ 161 He took her in his arms with infinite tenderness and car-. ried her back to her bed. CHAPTER XLVI. OLD PIERRE AMUSES GRACE, It was only youth and a strong constitution that carried Grace safely through the days of agony which followed the terrible events of that night. At times it seemed to her that she could not retain her | reason. She would have begged her husband to take her away from the fateful chateau; but every time she thought of such a thing she recalled all that she had promised about remaining there. And then she would shudder at the thought of passing a whole year or so near those dreadful rooms. ‘Why did I not tell him?” she moaned, again and again. Was it too late now? ‘ Alas! her husband, with terrible foresight, had provided - against every emergency: She could not forget his passion at the mere suggestion that.she could ever have loved or caressed another. It seemed to her that fate was pursuing her for the mis- take of her youth. She ought to have been brave in spite of Honore’ s words of passion. She ought to have told him of the secret marriage before she became his wife. Then she might have died had he thrown her from him. But now, to have him scorn her for her deception—to have him turn from her, No, no, she could not bear it. Better to accept the punishment that came to her than to risk the loss of that beloved husband’s love and respect. And that voice in the square chamber! | Was it a voice, or was it only her disturbed imagina- tion? She decided that it was her imagination, but yet could 3 shake off the awful feeling with which it had filled er. comicbooks.co rh