The Craze of Christina — page 34: what you’re looking at

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

30 The Craze of Christina. these two ladies—for I am a painter, paperer, furnisher and decorator myself.”’ Clifford gasped. **Yes, don’t look so astonished. In these hard times, you know, we poor lonely women have to put our shoulders to the wheel and work, and so, as I was always very clever at that kind of thing, I determined when my dear parents died, to start professionally in that line. I have a shop full of beautiful things at Old- castle.”’ ‘Indeed? and do you make it pay?’”’ **Oh, excellently well; you see I am a thor- ough woman of business.” **You don’t look it.”’ ; ‘“‘No? that’s what people tell me. But be- cause one runs a business I don’t see why one need look a fright, do you?”’ ‘“‘T am sure you could never be a fright,’’ said Clifford, politely. ‘*How sweet of you to say that! then you will come and lunch with me and talk it over?’’ Clifford glanced towards Mrs. Ommaney. ‘Not to-day, I am afraid,’’ he said, lowering his voice. ‘‘Ah! the universal mother has claimed you, I see!’’ she whispered back. ‘“‘You will be in- troduced to ‘my Maud.’ Don’t be taken in by > Eomicbooks.ce