Geoffrey's Victory by Mrs Georgie Sheldon — page 108: what you’re looking at

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

104 A DISAPPOINTED LOVER. me further; for, truly, Ican give you no other answer; my feelings can never change; Ido not love you—I can never love you.” He seized her hand in an eager, trembling grasp, and bent his proud head until his forehead rested upon it. “Why do you say that?” he cried, “that you can never love me? Youdonot know. I will serve for you—I will prove my devotion; oh! give me time, Gladys, before you discard me utterly. and no slave ever served more faithfully for the coveted gift of freedom. than I will serve, in any way, to win you, my fair love.” “No, no; please say no more, it 1s useless,” she mur- mured, brokenlv. He raised his head and looked eagerly into her face. “There can be but one reason for such a persistent re- fusal, such a decidea answer,” he said. in a low, concen- trated tone; ‘‘you have given the wealth of your love to another !” Kven by the dim light of the moon which came strug- gling in upon them through the network of vines upon the balcony, he could see the vivid color which shot up over her cheek and brow, and dved even the fair shoul- ders, beneath their gauzy covering, at this direct charge. He grew pale as death. “Tt is true! I know it must be true!” ke said, in the tones of one who has suddenly been calined or benumbed by a terrible shock. “You never could have resisted an appeal like mine,’ he went on, between his tightly shut teeth, “if it were not so. Tell me,” he continued, growing excited ugain, “is it so? have [ guessed rightly ?” There was so much of concentrated passion in his vcice, and such an authoritative ring in his tone, that it aroused something of resentment and antagonism in Gladys’ heart, in spite of her sympathy for him. She turned and faced him, standing straight and tall and calm before him. “You have no right to speak in this way to me, Mr. Mapleson,” she said, with quiet dignity, “and Iam under no obligation to explain why I do not favor your suit. The chief reason in any such case, I think, is that per- sons are not congenial to each other.” “Do vou mean to tell me that IT am not congenial to you, Miss Huntress?” the young man interrupted, almost fiercely. “You have it in your power to be a very pleasant comuicaooolk