Geoffrey's Victory by Mrs Georgie Sheldon — page 279: what you’re looking at

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

FUBEAES DEVELOPMENTS. — | 273 ‘‘will you come down to the library for a little while. I hava some callers to whom I wish to introduce you.’ Something unusual in her husband’s tone made Mrs. Maple- son drop her book and search his face. He was white to his lips. ‘Why, William, what ails yon? Has anything happened to Hv- eret?”? she questioned, anxiously, her motherhood aroused for her child. ‘‘Everet is well, so far as I know, but—— “Surely you are ill, or you have bad news?” she inter- rupted. ‘No, I am not ill, although some business of a painful nature +P has upset me a trifle,” he answered, knowing that he was look- . ing wretched, and not attempting to conceal his agitation. “You know I do not like to be mixed up with business trans- actions,” his wife replied, with an impatient shrug of her shapely shoulders. . “But I particularly desire your presence while I make a statement to those gentlemen,” Colonel Mapleson said, striving to speak more calmly, though the hand that was resting on the back of Mrs. Mapleson’s chair trembled in a way to really startle her. ‘Why, William,” she said, facing him, ‘‘have you been get- ting into financial trouble at your time of life?” ‘‘No; itis an error—a mistake made long years ago that I wish to rectify,” he gravely answered. “Who are these people?” she asked, still searching his face earnestly. ‘‘A Mr. Huntress and his son from New York.” ‘Huntress!’ repeated the lady, reflectively. ‘‘Where have I heard that name before?” ‘‘Never mind now, Estelle; you can think of that some other time. Please do not keep me waiting.”’ He took her hand, laid it on his arm, and led her from the room, while she wondered to see her proud husband in that mood, for there was a gentleness about him, mingled with a hu- mility and a deprecatory air, that was entirely foreign to him. Not a word was spoken by either as they passed down the grand staircase. Colonel Mapleson was too’ absorbed in the painful dnty before him, while ‘‘coming events” seemed already to have ‘‘cast their shadows” upon the handsome face and proud spirit of his wife. A painful expression almost convnlsed Colonel Mapleson’s face as he paused irresolutely a moment before the library door. But his hesitation was only for an instant. The next he turned the handle, led his wife within the room, when he closed and locked the door to insure freedom from in- terrnption. Then he led his companion straight to August Huntress. GOMIGDOOo S (eo)