Gratia's Trials — page 176: what you’re looking at

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

- @RATIA’S TRIALS. - 167. held it between the thum and finger of her left hand, as she stiffly returned the gentleman’s parting bow. The instant the door closed behind him, she scrutinized the writing on the card, which bore the name ‘‘ Hugo Falconer,” in delicately engraved script letters, and below, the words : **] willcome to-morrow morning, at eleven. Dear Gratia, you will not refuse to see me then ?’’ ‘¢T never knew anything so cool in all my born days!” cried Mrs. Pennilon, indignantly tearing the card and scattering its fragments to the winds. Gratia Kempfield, standing in the friendly shadows of the hazel copse saw Hugo Falconer pass by shortly afterward, walk- ing slowly, with his hands behind his back, and his eyes fixed intently on the ground, tall and handsome as an Apollo! How her heart warmed toward the gallant gentleman in the one minute in which she trusted her eyes to gaze upon his manly beauty. She was almost tempted to step out from the bowery screen of the hazel bushes, and tell him all the secrets of her breaking heart. But, as she made a step forward, a gay barouche swept down the road with two lovely girls leaning out, and the horses drew up with a jerk. ‘‘We are just in time to drive you home, Colonel Falconer, ” said Alicia Melworth, gayly. ‘‘Are you not obliged to us for saving you such a long, warm walk ?” | So Gratia’s chance passed by, and her hero was whirled away toward the stately old towers of Melworth Hall. Master Roswell persisted in staying to fish with his eldest brother, and our heroine walked homealone. Mrs. Pennilon met her, almost at the threshold of the inn. ‘Vou had a fine visitor since you went away, Miss Kemp- field,” she said, with satirical emphasis on all the most obnox- ious words. ‘© A visitor, Mrs, Pennilon ?” ‘¢ Altogether too fine for such plain, respectable ahaha as we Eomicbooks: co