Geoffrey's Victory by Mrs Georgie Sheldon — page 143: what you’re looking at

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

A REMARKABLE DISCOVERY. | 139 ment, for he felt as if he were trenching upon some secret almost too sacred to be revealed. “There must have been a soft spot somewhere in the old fellow’s heart, to have kept a thing like this,” he mut- tered, turning it over and over in his hands. “But, ‘to‘the victor belong the spoils;’I have made this discovery after everybody else has failed, and so I have a right to know what I have found.” He touched the spring and the case flew open, revealing the likeness of a young girl of exquisite beauty. ‘‘Nannie Davenport! I’ll wager a ten-dollar note,” he ejaculated, in a breathless tone. The face was a pure oval, crowned with a wealth of © hair that was twined in a massive coronet about the small, beautifully-shaped head. The eyes, Everet felt sure, must have been a deep, dark biue, and their ex- pression was lovely beyond description; the nose was emall and straight, with delicate nostrils, the mouth full and sweet, witha slight smile just curving the tender lips. ) ‘“What a bewitching little fairy she must have been. No wonder Robert Dale buried himself here and ate his heart out with grief and jealousy at losing her. Poor old man! I reckon I know something of your feelings, but I shall never sit tamely down and bearit. ITll conquer or die in the struggle,” he concluded, between his set teeth. Then he grew deadly pale. | “Perbaps he didn’t give up either until after she was married,” he said, “and then he couldn’t help himself. Bah! Gladys Huntress shall never marry Geoffrey Dale!” He shook himself impatiently, as if these reflections were too painful and disagreeable to dwell upon, closed - the miniature with a snap, and turned his attention to the package that he had also found. He carefully untied the tape that bound it, removed the wrapper, and several certificates, representing a large amount of bank stock, fell out. Kxamining them closely, Everet found that they were dated several years previous to his own birth, and all were made out in the name of Annie Dale. “Good gracious! she was his heiress!” he exclaimed, in amazement. “The old chap had to give in at last. He loved that woman to the death, though he was too proud to show it by helping her while she lived, and so left his money to her child. “Let me see,” he went on; “these are dated just about GoM Ehboo KS ( e 3