Bonny Jean, and A Severe Threat — page 247: what you’re looking at

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

240 j.. .° A SEVERE THREAT. Mrs. Atherton bending over her. Memory struggled back to her at last. © She recalled the startling occurrences which had just taken place, and lifting her eyes they fell upon the graceful figure of Hal Dexter, who had ventured into the room. In an instant she understood. The red blood rushed in a burning tide over neck, and brow, and cheek. She held out her hand, and the old sauciness struggled back. ‘*T suppose,” she began, wearily, ‘‘that I ought to arise and shriek aloud, ‘Oh, my pre-e-server !’ as they do in the five-act, sensational dramas; but you'll have to take the will for the deed, Mr. Dexter, for, really, my head is so weak I cannot raise it; and—and—I thank you very much for all that you have done for me.” | Her voice had grown very soft and tender. I am not sure but that there were tears in her eyes. Hal seated himself beside the couch, and taking the little hand, bent his head over it. : _ ** Don’t mention it, Miss Wylde,” he returned; ‘‘as Toots would say, ‘it’s of no consequence,’ and really I would sacrifice my life to save yours.” , I think she read his secret. I know that she grew altern- ately white and red, and trembled violently. She turned her eyes away, and Hal Dexter forgot to relinquish her hand. Dot lay silent and thoughtful. She was thinking of her strange dream, and how it came true. : ‘‘ There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamed of in your philosophy,” she quoted to herself. CHAPTER XXXII. “CHOOSE BETWEEN Us.” There was a suppressed murmur in the court-room as those unexpected words fell from Geraldine’s lips. Sir John Sydney turned his blood-shot eyes upon her, and his face grew livid with rage and hatred. “A wife may not testify against her husband, but I am not Lady Sydney, and never have been. Iam the wife of Howard Ashleigh. I was married in Scotland two years ago.” There was a slight bustle in one corner of the court-room, and a young man, white to the very lips, sank into a seat, catching his breath meanwhile with terrible effort. But the in- - ~— é Eomichooks (e(o) Ss