Bonny Jean, and A Severe Threat — page 226: what you’re looking at

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

A SEVERE THREAT. 219 sky, they started for Ocean Springs, arriving there at a very early hour. Great was the astonishment of Hal Dexter, ~on his return from the city that evening, when he listened to Kittie’s story—Kittie, blushing, confused, but oh! extremely happy. Hal stooped and kissed her, ‘‘I'm awfully glad to hear it, Sis,” he said, earnestly. ‘‘I’d rather it would be Ashleigh than.any fellow I know, but Kittie” —and an unusual gravity settled upon Hal’s handsome face— ‘‘don’t you think it a trifle sudden? I don’t wish to throw cold water upon your happiness, Kit, but I’m bound to look after the interests of. my only sister ; and I must tell you that, only yesterday morning, Ashley told me in that quiet, decided way of his, that he should never marry; that his heart is in the tomb with his bride. Did he say that he loved you, Kittie ?” - She shook her head slowly. ‘*J-_T don’t remember,” she returned ; ‘‘ I suppose he inti- mated it. Why should he ask me to marry him, Hal, if he does not love me?” But Hal Dexter was silent. He remembered the words which his friend had let fall the morning before. ‘‘ Howard,” he said, when, a few moments after, the young man appeared, and addressing Hal as Kittie’s natural guardian, repeated the story which she had already told, and asked his permission to make Kittie his wife—‘‘ Howard,” and Hal grasped his friend’s hand cordially, ‘‘ Pll admit that there's no one in the world to whom I would so soon intrust my sister’s future happiness as to yourself; but I would advise you both to wait awhile—Kittie, because she is young and inexperienced—you, because your wife has not long been dead. And—and—you surely do not forget the words that you uttered to me yesterday morning. Now, my counsel is this—let everything remain as it is---an engagement, if you like, but conditional. Let us go abroad. You and I havea good long time on our hands be- fore our winter work begins; we have leave of absence still for Gomichooks (e(@)