The Craze of Christina — page 158: what you’re looking at

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

154 The Craze of Christina. French coast and Middleshire; but really, I don’t see how I can be said to have ‘placed’ it there!’’ | Clifford disregarded the very indifferent jest; things to him were far too serious for jest- ing. ‘‘Miss Pratt—Chris—for heaven’s sake listen tome! Icannot—I will not—lose you like this! You must know—yes, I am convinced that you know—that I love you! If I am speaking too soon it is you who are driving me toit. I have no wish to risk your displeasure by a precipi- tate disclosure of my feelings, but you are hurrying me on by your cruel desertion of me. I cannot keep silence when I see you vanishing before my eyes.”’ ‘‘My dear Mr. Clifford! really, I am not at vanishing point yet; I am quite solid and very substantial, and the train is not due for half an hour! Pray, calm yourself.’ ‘‘Oh, you can laugh! You can turn me into ridicule !—it is nothing to you, doubtless, that I love you to distraction.”’ Miss Pratt became quite serious, and after a moment’s pause she said: ‘‘I beg your pardon, it is not ‘nothing’ to me at all.”’ He seized her hand rapturously, Comichooks.co