Geoffrey's Victory by Mrs Georgie Sheldon — page 156: what you’re looking at

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

152 EVERET MAKES A 8TARTLING DISCOVERY, Something seemed to tell him that he was standing on the very threshold of the revelation which he had longed for so many years. Again the stranger shrank as if he had been smitten.. “Why do you ask me that?” he huskily demanded. ‘‘Because,” Geoifrey returned, with grave earnestness, “there is a@ mystery connected with niy own life—be- cause, when I was a child I was abandoned in the most cruel manner, and but for the goodness of the man who found me an outcast in the streets of New York——” ‘New York! How came you there?” interrupted his Jistener, amazed. “That is more than I can tell you, sir. This gentleman found me in a state of imbecility, took me to his home, cared for me until I was restored to my right mind, and then adopted and educated me as his own son; but for him I should still have been an imbecile, and more piti- able than the lowest paupers that wander about the streets of that city.” ‘What! whatis this that you are telling me? An im- becile! I cannot understand,” cried the man, looking bewildered. ‘IT do not know how I came to bein sucha state,” Geoffrey continued; “‘the physicians said it was caused by some injury while I was very young, so my life before that time has remained a mystery to myself and those who have befriended me. If you can throw any light upon it, sir, I entreat you to do so.” The man quickly arose from his seat at this appeal, but staggered like a person who had been drinking deeply, and seemed like one who had sustained a terrible mental shock. “T cannot teil you anything now,” he said, putting hig hand to his head. ‘‘I shall have to ask you to excuse me, J cannot think; I must have time to recover my- self.” “T do not understand your excessive emotion, sir. Ids not understand your desire to avoid explaining your very strange words and manner,” Geoffrey interposed, looking both pained and anxious; ‘“‘but Iam terribly in earnest about this matter, andif you know anything about my family or antecedents, I beg that you will not keep me i suspense.” “Some other time I will talk with you again,” mur- mured the stranger, turning aside, and striving to keep his eyes averied. comuicloookks.€