Geoffrey's Victory by Mrs Georgie Sheldon — page 65: what you’re looking at

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

‘MARGERY. | | 6r learned from some source that he belonged to one of the F, I’. V's, she was anxious to Cultivate his acquaintance for Addie’s sake. CHAPTER XI. MARGERY. Everet Mapleson availed himself of Mrs. Loring’s invi- tation, and called the second morning after Mrs. Brevort's reception, to pay his respects to the young ladies. He was fortunate enough to find them both at home, and both were charmingly entertaining. Addie Loring was a merry little body, and no one could ever be dull when in her society. Gladys was more reserved and dignified in her bearing, but she possessed a peculiar fascination which instantly attracted everybody, and, taking the two together, it would have been difficult, go the world over, to have found a more entertaining couple than they. Everet Mapleson was beguiled into a call of a full hour —a delightful hour it was, too, to them all—and looked his dismay when finally, glancing at his watch, he found how the time had slipped away. Addie Loring laughed merrily, when she saw the ex- pression on his face, and caught his well-bred, “I had no idea it was so late.” ‘‘Pray, Mr. Mapleson, do not look so disturbed,” she cried; “there is no fine for such an offense, and you are absolved even before confession, for this time.” “But I have overstepped all bounds. I have been here a whole hour, and this my first call, too.” “How dreadful!” laughed the little lady, roguishly. “Pray, tell me, what is the Southern rule for first calls?” “Twenty minutes, or half an hour, at most.” “Tam glad I do not live at the South then Why, one would hardly get through talking about the weather in that time.” “Miss Loring, I protest; there has not been one word said about the weather this morning,” retorted the young ‘ man, thinking that she was very nearly as pretty as Gladys, as she stood before him in that graceful attitude, her head perched saucily on one side, a mocking smile on her red lips. “True; but this wasn’t a formal call, you know, for which ~e both feel very much obliged to you, Iam sure, ~ EORME OOKS (E(0)