Geoffrey's Victory by Mrs Georgie Sheldon — page 297: what you’re looking at

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

-_ M28. MAPLESON’S CONFESSION. 293 Mr. Southcourt, who was jubilant, for he said he was sure of his appointment, and he showed me a letter, from a person high in authority, which seemed to promise it beyond a donbt. “About this time we received a letter from home telling us that papa was failing; the physician feared the worst, and we were told to hold ourselves in readiness to return at once if he should continne to grow worse. Mamma wrote that she could not bear to shorten our pleasure, but she knew that our own hearts would bid us come if they found tiat he could not rally; that was, however, merely a warning to prepare us; she would write again if thare was any change for the worse. “T told Nellie that we must go home at once; something miglit happen to make papa’s disease terminate suddenly, and he would die before we could possibly reach him, if we should wait to hear from mamma again. Nellie agreed to this, but Mr. Sonthcourt was very unhappy over our decision; he could not bear the thought of separation; he said something might occur to make it final, unless I should marry him at once and give him the right to call me his wife before I “left; in that ease he would let me go and feel sure of me. At first T would “not listen to this proposal. Iknew but too well that if my marriage was discovered, the income from my half of Uncle Jabez’s property would be stopped, and my sick and dying father be deprived of evervthing thet had now become so necessary to him. But - Cliarlie was so sure that he should get his appointment, when he wonld at once settle one-third of bis income upon my parents; he was so hopeful over his book, so importunate, and distressed at the thonght of my leaving, while Nellie also thought there conld be no risk, that my seruples and better judgment were overcome and I vielded, upon one condition— that our marriage be kept a profound secret until he actually secured his position. He agreed to this, because he said he knew I should searcely reach home before he wonld have the wherewithal to enable me to make over my share of Uncle Jabez’s fortune to my consin, withont missing it, and so we were privately married in Paris just before leaving for London. “Upon our arrival there, we fonnd that a steamer had just. sailed, and no other would leave for three or four days. The- very next morning we received another letter from home say- Ing that papa had rallied and was so munch improved, mamma regretted she had written so discouragingly before, and told us _ not to think of returning until we felt entirely ready to do so, I was so happy in my new relations that I was.only too glad of this respite, for the prospect of a separation from my hus- band was us painful to meas to him. Three short, blissful weeks after that we spent together, and then there came @ startling cable message, bidding Nellie and me to return in- étuntly.”’ Mrs. Mapleson paused and struggled with herself at this point; é (E(0) ( "| (OKO) CS (€(0) =} Ai