Geoffrey's Victory by Mrs Georgie Sheldon — page 161: what you’re looking at

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

GEOFFREY PICKS UP A THREAD. «157 “You are right ; I will go back immediately and ascer- tain it.” “Oh, Geoffrey, perhaps it will be better for you to leave it all just here,” the fair girl urged. ‘‘‘Where ig- norance is bliss’—you know the rest.” “But I know too much already; I can never rest until I sift this matter to the very bottom. Could you, dar- ling? If you were not Uncle August’s own child, and knew there was some mystery eccnnected with your birth, would you be satisfied until yon knew the truth?” _ **No, Geoff, I don’t believe I should,” Gladys replied, thoughtfully, “and—I know that such a discovery would make me very unhappy,” she concluded, with starting tears. Geoffrey stooped and kissed her fondly, then turned abruptly and left the room. + The young girl sighed wearily as she slowly followed lin. ‘‘Tam afraid there is trouble in store for him, for my heart is heavy with forebodings,” she murmured. Half an hour later, Geoffrey returned, and there was now a savage glitter in his eyes, although his face was paie and full of pain. He found Gladys watching for him as before. He went up behind ker chair, leaned down, and whis- pered in her ear: “The man’s name is—William Dale, and he registered from Fort Union, New Mexico.” , Gladys looked around, a startled expression on her ace. “William Dale!” she repeated; “then he must be——” “My father, and-—a parent to be proud of, surely,” the young man interposed, with exceeding bitterness. ‘Oh, Gladys!” he continued, in an angonized whisper, “TI feel asif I should go mad—I can bear anything better than dishonor.” Gladys turned and laid her soft cheek for an instant against the hand that was resting on the back of her chair. The involuntary and symnathetic caress comforted him more than any words could have done, for it seemed to say. no matter what lay away back among those early years before she knew him, nothing could change her love for him, and he would always he the same to her. “TJ wish I could know the story of my mother’s life,” Geoffrey continued, with a sigh, while a moisture gath- Gomicbookssco =}