The Bride Elect: or, The Doom of the Double Roses — page 144: what you’re looking at

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

THE BRIDE ELECT. 135 Aberdeen steamer, touching at Fraserburg, Poetsoy, and Cromarty, on its devious route, came four times a year to Highland Golspie, and formed about the staple connection between this out-of-the-way little city of the Gaels and her more polished sisters of the Lowlands. For fully five minutes my lady had sat immovable as a statue upon her horse, with her face turned away from her two.companions, and her whole attention seemingly absorbed by the scene before her, utterly heedless of the general and intense interest which her presence created. ‘They could not guess what was working in that fiery brain; they might not understand the secret tumult and sickening of that brave heart. When she turned to speak, her face was pallid and strained, her lips unsteady, in spite of the fierce gnawing of her sharp teeth upon their scarlet wreathing. “Go, Robin,” said Lady Kilmeny, with a strong effort— ‘oo on board, and fetch my friend!” And Robin, troubled enough, but scarcely liking to sug- gest a word, dismounted from his horse, and disdaining to wait for the gang-way to be cleared for him, seized a halyard and sprang lightly on deck, with his message. In spite of himself, a crafty smile glimmered over Tyndale Strathmore’s face. Calmly and coolly, Lady Kilmeny bent her eyes upon him, and saw it. | “What amuses the Laird Tyndale?” she demanded. Slightly disconcerted, he drew back from her fixed gaze, but soon rallied, none the sweeter for his momentary disad- vantage. | ‘* Does my lady forget how she came into my hands?” “*My kind kinsman to remind me, I do not forget.” ‘‘T was calling it to mind, lady niece, and it made me smile.” ‘© Does treachery make you smile, Tyndale Strathmore?” ‘No; but the forgiveness of a weak woman’s heart does, my lady.” «<All were not treacherous, sir, neither are all forgiven; so save your mirth, my good uncle. I sent a letter to a friend, but it was a woman, and as long as I believe her and hers to be interested in my welfare, I shall return the inter- est to the full.” “You have yet to learn from them what you winna be- lieve from me—that your’re too soft-hearted, proud as you Gomilchbooks, co