Bonny Jean, and A Severe Threat — page 125: what you’re looking at

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

118 | A SEVERE THREAT. dogged silence, her bleared, angry eyes upon the young man’s handsome face. ‘‘ Miss Geraldine !” she expostulated, in a tone of half com- mand, half entreaty, ‘‘ your father will kill you if you admit this—this—stranger. ” The girl’s haughty little head was crested proudly, and her eyes flashed with superb disdain. ‘‘Do as I bid you!” she commanded ; then, in a significant tone, she added, ‘‘the door is open; you could. not prevent me if I chose to leave, and who would suffer ‘hen, you or I?” Old Edith shrugged her shoulders, but made no reply, while Howard Ashleigh stood waiting for this strange scene to terminate. ‘‘Come in, sir,” repeated the girl, ‘‘ You are quite welcome tosuch poor hospitality as we can proffer you.” She paused, and a sudden gleam lit up her small, pale face ; then added, ere he could frame an answer: ‘‘T see that you have forgotten me; but I remember you well, Mr. Ashleigh.” He started, as with an electric shock. ‘‘Good heavens!” he ejaculated, in amazement, ‘‘then I was mof mistaken. It is really Miss Vernon !” ‘‘Lloyd Vernon's sister,” the girl returned, calmly. ‘‘I recognized you immediately, Mr. Ashleigh, although it is three years since we have met.” _ She held out her hand as she spoke—a slim, white hand, upon which gleamed a great, uncanny opal. Howard Ashleigh pressed it warmly, while old Judith glowered upon them with eyes full of sullen defiance. ‘“‘T never thought to find you here!” he said, in a tone of deep surprise, as he followed his young hostess into the -great, bare hall, showing its hundred years in the decay, neglect, ruin, which stared him in the face. She threw open a door on the left, disclosing an immensely gloomy apartment, ill-furnished, but with a cheerful wood fire blazing and crackling in the =) GComichooks.co