Geoffrey's Victory by Mrs Georgie Sheldon — page 286: what you’re looking at

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

~~ 282 THE COLONEL’S $TORY CONCLUDED. “T had a hard task to pacify her. She was determined at first that the whole truth should be confessed, saying she would not occupy a false position. But when I told her that it would ruin me to foree a gale of my stock; that I should lose all the hard labor of the three years that I had spent there, and not even then be able to replace the money from Uncle Jabez’s fortune which I had invested, she became more reasonable. I promised that if she would try and be patient and happy for a year, I would replace every dollar tbat was not my own, and have something handsome besides, as a capital for myself. “YT honestly meant to do all this, for I knew that I should never thoroughly regain the respect of my wife until I had redeemed my position and hers before the world.” wee CHAPTER XLIV. THE COLONEL’S STORY CONCLUDED. “Annie and I were very happy,” Celonel Mapleson went on, after a momentary pause, ‘during the year that followed— happy in spite of a little cloud that had srisen so soon after our marriage, for our prospects were very encouraging, I was doing finely. Every month my profits were increasing, and thus the time of our emancipation was growiug nearer. If I could only replace what now no longer properly belonged to me, Annie sald she would be content to remain in that miving conntry as long as I desired. She was willing to live simply, even frugally, if | would only do right, acknowledge our marriage before the world, and not have to hice like a couple of criminals. “Our joy was Increased tenfold when, a little before our first anniversary, a bright, handsome boy was born to us.” Again Mis. Mapleson started and shot another giance at Geoffrey. “That explains it all,” she murmured. ‘Yes, Estelle,” replied her nusband, who caught the words, “that explains why this young man resembles Everet to such a wonderful degree. They are both thorough Maplesons. ify wife,” he continued, a sudden pallor settling over his face, and speaking now with visible effort, ‘‘began to recuperate almos* immediately after his birth. her color aud strength returned, hei spirits seemed as light as air, and she was as happy as the day was Jong, in tle possession of her new treasure, while she was the most devoted little mother imaginable. She named her baby, herself. ‘Geoffrey Dale Mapleson,’ she said he was to be called, ‘only we shall have to drop the Mapleson fora while, I suppose—only a little while longer, Wiil,’ she pleaded, as she: twined her arms about my neck and drew my head down close to the little one lying beside her. ‘““<*My darling,’ I told her, ‘in six months, at the farthest, you ghall go back home as Mrs. William Mapleson. We will! call it Comicdoookks.c© 5}