A Daughter of Delilah — page 104: what you’re looking at

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

“I MUST BUY THE PAINTED JEZEBEL!” 95 on God’s earth. Talking of coronets—if she chose, she could have her pick of a dozen! but she prefers your wild, erratic brother to all the men she has ever seen, and with- in two weeks will be my wife. If my father turns me up, then I shall appeal to Aunt Radcliffe! In time all will come right.”’ He spoke cheerfully until he remembered the words of Edward Hawley, ‘‘An infamous woman!’’ ‘There is one man,’’ he said, ‘‘whom I can never for- give, painful though it may be to you, Minnie! But for me he might have been begging on the streets, and his eratitude is of the old sort! The viper that you’ve nur- tured turns and stings at the first opportunity. ”’ Minnie’s face had grown pale, and there was fire in her eyes. ‘‘Kdgar,’’ she replied, ‘‘if you cannot be generous, at least be just. It is despicably mean to speak in such terms of one who has been a.faithful friend to you.”’ He glared at her. ‘What do you know of this?’’ “T will have no secrets from you. I wrote to Mr. Haw- ley to inform me who this Isabel was of whom you have | talked so much lately. He came——”’ ‘‘And made love to you!’’ sneered her brother, savagely, his eyes exulting when the hot blood flushed her neck and face. ‘‘H’m! I thought so. Very artful of you,I am sure. You interfere in my love affairs for the sake of making a few steps forward with your own! Really, I think that papa would sooner accept Isabel Russell as a daughter-in- law than the poverty-stricken Edward Hawley as your husband. So he did your bidding yesterday, Miss Alston! Gomilcboo CS (E(0)