Geoffrey's Victory by Mrs Georgie Sheldon — page 122: what you’re looking at

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

118 EVERET MAPLESON RETURNS TO VUE DE L’EAU. and she could not bear to think that he had learned to love unwisely, and was risking his future happiness in pursuit of an ignis fatuus. She did not believe he wouJd ever win Gladys Hun- -tress. The young girl’s face had haunted her ever since she had seen her with her lover, in the museum at Yale, and she knew, by the way she had looked up into Geof- frey’s eyes, that she loved him with her whole soul, and that no dishonor, save that of his own making, would ever alienate her from him. “Oh, Everet, pray give up this foolish infatuation,” she pleaded, laying her hand beseechbingly on his arm. “Foolish infatuation, indeed!” he retorted, with an angry flush. “‘What can you know about it-—-you who © never knew what it was to love aman as I love this peerless girl?” Mrs. Mapleson crimsoned to her brow, then grew white as the snowy lace about her neck; her lips quivered pain- fully, and bot tears rushed to her eyes. “Are you not somewhat harsh in your judgment of me, Everet? Surely, whatever else you may say of me. you cannot accuse me of lacking in affection for my son,” she said, sadly and tremulously. “Forgive me, mother,” he pleaded, conscience-smitten, ‘‘but, indeed, it nearly drives me distracted to think that I may not be able to win Gladys; while he, that beggar without even a name, has won her without an effort.” ‘“‘Has won? Then they are engaged ?” yoo “What folly, Everet? I would respect myself too much to cry after a girl who was already pledged,” said Mrs. Mapleson, scornfully, and with flashing eyes. His face fiamed angrily. “T tell you, you cannot understand!” he cried. ‘‘At all events, whether I win or not, I will do my utmost to separate them. I detest him so thoroughly, I will never allow him to triumph where I have failed.” He stole from the room with these words, and that night he left Newport for Vue de ]’Eau, where he arrived three days later, and found his father at horne keeping bachelors’ hall in fine stvle, with half a dozen servants to attend him. Colonel Mapleson greeted his son with a heartiness which testified to the deep affection which he bore him, though he expressed some surprise that he should have 5} ComiclooolkkS.ec