The Craze of Christina — page 126: what you’re looking at

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

122 The Graze of Christina. “Then bring in the tray the very moment you hear the door-bell, and I will go and open the door,”’ she said. The muffins lay till they were flabby and sodden in their own butter, and the tea stood until the bitterness of death ate into its very vitals, but still the guest expected did not ar- rive! At twenty minutes to seven the bell rang sharply. With a sudden rekindling gleam of a hope that was well-nigh dead, Miss Ashley flew to the door, and, out of the pitch darkness without, her returning secretary stepped jaunt- ily into the hall. Miss Ashley turned very white and staggered back a little as if she were going to faint. “IT have not come back too early, I hope?’’ said Miss Pratt in a cheery voice. Her cheeks were rosy, her eyes shone, there was an aggra- vating atmosphere of gayety and satisfaction about her as she came in. Her unhappy employer lifted upon her eyes that were almost haggard with despair. “Not a soul has been near me!’’ she said tragically and gloomily. “You mean—that Mr. Clifford has not come to tea with you?”’ “He has not. Miss Pratt, you could never have given him my message properly!” | (e(oy na kele) (0\(@) KS (e@(0) 4. nie We a See Peer eet ea Ne eg . i. » om eS # - - _ ~ r el ees i a a al Se a 8 no ae ee ee a 8 o, “7 ay: 3 hi ee os ia > : ‘i , ? a a ca ftv > . a, he ne = ee” ee * ~ “ a. 5 . ee Se oats * ‘ ~~ ey z. on t<% 4 4 a a ips ben 7. AT rede Syst ey ea Se pts Soe em ~ * j . - > ~ al ss - =~. re . . a eR an rs SS < * “> o - oe ) a. on vg ~ Fe ge se wer ? 3 % ~ : “—y ve ’ = Ae a+