The Evil Genius: A Domestic Story — page 196: what you’re looking at

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

THE EVIL GENIUS. 185 Gier was the faithful little friend whom she must never see again. ‘‘T am still innocent to that child,” she thought—‘‘and I am parted from her forever!” She rose to leave the garden. A farewell look at the last place in which she had seen Kitty tempted her to indulge in a moment of delay. Her eyes rested on the turn in the pathat which she had lost sight of the active little figure hastening away to plead her cause. Even in ab- sence the child was Sydney’s good angel still. As she turned away to follow the path that had been shown to her, the relief of tears came at last. It cooled her burning head; it comforted her aching heart. She tried to walk on. The tears blinded her—she strayed from the path—she would have fallen but for a hand that caught her and held her up. A man’s voice, firm and deep and kind, quieted her first wild feeling of terror. ‘* My child, you are not fit to be by yourself. Let me take care of you—let me comfort you, if I can.” He carried her back to the seat that she had left, and waited by her in merciful silence. ‘‘ You are very young to feel such bitter sorrow,” he said, when she was composed again. ‘‘I don’t ask what your sorrow is; I only want to know how I can help you.” ‘¢ Nobody can help me.” ‘*Can I take you back to your friends ?” ‘*T have no friends.” ‘‘ Pardon me, you have one friend at least—you have me.” | ‘You? A stranger ?” ‘* No human creature who needs my sympathy is a stranger.” She turned toward him for the first time. In her new posi- tion she was clearly visible in the light. He looked at her at- tentively. ‘‘I have seen you somewhere,” he said, *‘ before now.” She had not noticed him when they passed each other at Sandy- seal. ‘‘I think you must be mistaken,” she answered. ‘‘ May I thank you for your kindness? and may I hope to be excused if I say good-night ?” He detained her. ‘‘ Are you sure you are well enough to go away by yourself ?” he asked, anxiously. ‘*T am quite sure!” He still detained her. His memory of that first meeting at the seaside hotel reminded him that he had seen her in the company of aman. At their second meeting she was alone, and in tears. Sad experience led him to form his own conclusions, ‘* Tf you won't let me take care of you,” he said, ‘‘ will you con- sider if I can be of any use to you, and will you call at that ad- dress?” He gave her hiscard. She took it without looking at it; she was confused; she hardly knew what to say. ‘‘Do you doubt me?” he asked, sadly, not angrily. ‘“Oh, how can I do that! I doubt myself; Iam not worthy of the interest you feel in me.” ‘‘That is a sad thing to say,” he answered. ‘‘ Let me try to give you confidence in yourself. Do you go to London when you leave this place ?” COMMICLO® S (E() im