Geoffrey's Victory by Mrs Georgie Sheldon — page 92: what you’re looking at

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

&8 A DECLARATION. “You forget, Gladys, that I am not your brother,” Geoffrey returned, gravely, and wondering that she should have spoken thus, for she had very rarely as- sumed that there was anv kindred tie between then. She could not have toid herself what made her use the word, and she remembered how she had repudiated Mr, Mapleson’s assumption of such a relationship; but some- how, though her own heart thrilled to Geoffrey’s asser- tion that he was not her brother, a sort of perverseness took possession of her, and she continued, in the same strain, with a half-injured air and a bewitching pout: ‘One would think that you were rejoiced over the fact, to remind me of it In such a way.” *“T am rejoiced over the fact.” 7 “Why, Geoff! After all these vears!” and Gladys looked up in genuine surprise, for the restraint that he had been imposing upon himself had made his tone al- MOSsét stern. “Yes, after all these years; Gladys,” he went on, eagerly, fveling that the supreme moment of his life had come, “can you conceive of no reason why JI shouid be glad? As aboy, before I realized what you would be- come in the future, I was proud and happy to be allowed the privilege of regarding you asmy sister; but as a man I exult in the fact that no kindred ties bind us _ to each other, for in that case I should have no right to love you as I do, and my life would be bereft of its sweetest hones.” Gladys darted one quick, searching glance into his face as he uttered these impassioned words; then a burn- ing blush suffused her face, and her eyes drooped in con- fusion before the ardent light in his. * Have I startled you, my darling, by this confession?” Geoffrey went on. “Have you never suspected how I have been growing to love you day by day? At first, as I told you, T regarded you ina brotherly way. I was de- lighted with your beauty, I was proud of your intellect. JT loved and reverenced you for your goodness and gen- tleness to me, and your patience with me as an ignorant, simple-minded boy; hut, as J grew oider, a deeper, more sacred love took possession of me, until I came to realize that my future would be a miserable blank unless I could win your own heart’s best love. JI donot forget that I am nameless, dear, that Iam only astrav waif whom your father rescued from a hapless fate. I have nothing to offer you save my great love and an energy and reso- COnnicloooks.€