The Girl from Hong-Kong: A Story of Adventure Under Five Suns — page 299: what you’re looking at

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

THE GIRL FROM HONG-KONG. 293 ’ “But, my dear girl, it shall be my duty to convince you that my plan is best. Under ordinary conditions I would be a brute to hurry you—indeed, I would enjoy the charm of a six months’ or a year’s engagement; but we are under peculiar surroundings—you are determined to keep up this will-o’-the-wisp chase after your delightful old gentle- man,- who, it really seems to me, needs your care and loving attention much less than a poor, lone bachelor of my: acquaintance. “Since we have unknowy seas to cross and difficulties to surmount, how much better can we meet them, my darling, if you only give me the right to call you ‘wife;’ and, besides, you know, in the eyes of some people— mind, I care nothing for their tongues, but doubtless they think it wrong for a young girl who is without a ~chaperon.to be seen so much in a certain gentleman’s society. / ‘And then consider, dear, what if in far-off Mexico something should happen to me—there are lawless men there, you know, and your father may lead us into un- known dangers. It would be a blessed thing for me to know you were my wife, and that you had a right to nurse me back to life.” | Thus, step by step, does this artful pleader work upon her sympathies. When he speaks of his own loneliness her eyes glisten as with sympathy—at the mention of scandalous tongues they flash; but when he paints a possible picture of some dreadful fate awaiting him in the mysterious land of the Montezumas, Doris grows weak. “Do you really and truly wish it?” she asks, faintly. He knows he has won, but is too manly to gloat over his victory. “It would please me beyond words, my darling. Be- sides, you yourself can see how much better we could -prosecute your mission under such conditions.” _ “. He continues to argue the case, wishing to make her feel that he is not taking any advantage of the condi- tions: and ere they return to the hotel Doris has given her full consent. If it appears that Warren Evans is abowtittctobkstaam -