Gratia's Trials — page 128: what you’re looking at

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

GRATIA’S TRIALS. 119 _ of the hall as you approached Mr. Miller’s room from the carpeted stair-way, until he came out ‘‘freshened up” by a a bath and a cup of strong coffee. Alberta sprang up to meet him. ‘* Dear uncle, I have been waiting so patiently to see you.” His brows contracted slightly. ‘“Is it a matter of vital importance, my dear? I was just going down stairs.” ‘“But you must hear me first, uncle; you must, indeed !” cried Alberta, breathlessly. ‘«Speak on, Alberta,” he said, leaning against the wall with folded arms, and quietly observant eyes. ‘* Are you through?” he asked, at last, whéf she paused, her budget of news thoroughly unfolded. ‘Ves, uncle.” ‘Then, Alberta, listen to me. Let this be the last time you dare to breathe an evil word or thought of the girl who is to be my wife. I trust her as I would one of God’s angels—and I _ believe what you have told me to be as false as falsehood itself. Nor do I think any higher of you for this scheming attempt to prejudice her in my eyes—an attempt as futile as it has been ill considered. ” And leaving Alberta in a perfect frenzy of mortification, anger, and astonishment, he walked composedly down stairs and took Gratia into his arms as if she had been a pet child like Ida. ‘‘T am going directly down to my office, darling he said, ‘where I have an appointment with my lawyer. I shall make my will in your favor this afternoon. ‘Delays are dangerous,’ says the old proverb, and I am too old to uBk any possibilities which can be avoided by a little precaution.” Gratia’s eyes, lifted slowly and languidly to his face, were arrested half way by the white, hot anger of a face she saw flitting past the door-way—the face of Alberta Falconer—and she was certain, in her inmost heart, that Alberta had heard Gomicbooks (Ele) m