Bonny Jean, and A Severe Threat — page 244: what you’re looking at

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

A SEVERE THREAT 937 ‘* But, my lady, the law does not receive testimony from a oe against her husband. You are Sir John Sydney’s wife, my ady. She drew her lithe form up proudly, and glanced fearlessly into the face of the judge. ‘“You are mistaken,” she replied. ‘I am zof Sir John Sydney’s wife !” CHAPTER XXXII, RESCUED. Night after night Dot Wylde beheld the same face in the pro- scenium-box at the Coronet ; and, somehow, the happiest mo- ments of her life seemed those passed ‘‘upon the boards.” Lola’s departure had filled the girl’s faithful heart with keenest regret. She missed Lola constantly; but since the errand upon which she had gone was so commendable, Dot could only stifle her own emotions and pray earnestly for her friend’s suc- cess. To the little actress there was a keen pleasure now in her profession. In all the great audience which nightly greeted her, Dot Wylde played for one person alone. Every impulse of her being was stimulated to please that one critic, who every night appeared in the same box, with the same floral offering — a bunch of snowy roses. Had careless, zzsoucian¢ little Dot found her fate at last? She bent all her energies to the task before her, improving so wonderfully as to elicit applause from Mr. Templemore, who hinted at an increase of salary. So time passed, and slowly but surely came the crisis in Dot Wylde’s life. One night the play was ‘‘Lear.” Some bright particular star portrayed the mad old king, and the leading lady being ill, Dot was chosen to essay the part of Cordelia. She had never hoped for this opportunity, and she bent all her energies to the task, with a very creditable result. And, as usual, her inspiration, ‘at face, smiled at her from the usual place, while at the close of the performance the bunch of roses was thrown at her feet. She stooped and picked them up, with a shy little glance toward their giver; then. with a graceful in- clination of the head, she disappeared behind the curtain. | Once alone in the dingy little dressing-room, Dot glanced cautiously about, to make sure that she was not observed ; then she pressed her lips to the fragrant flowers. As she did so she Eomirchbooks:co