Gratia's Trials — page 196: what you’re looking at

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

GRATIA’S TRIALS. 187 frosts in midsummer? A bunch! I might get her one, or forbye twa, but nae mair.” ‘‘As many as you can find, then,” said Gratia. Just beyond was a glass propagatory house, where Anderson kept a long table of young plants, ready for the next season’s borders, and an impulse of idle curiosity induced Gratia to enter this building. As she did so, a perfume of Havana cigars blended itself with the aromatic odor of the moss-roses, and she saw, enter- ing the farther end of the walk she had just quitted, two gen- _tlemen—Colonel Falconer and Algernon Melworth. Her heart throbbed quickly—a sort of mist crept over her eyes—but she had the presence of mind to remain perfectly still in her lurking-place, although Colonel Falconer almost brushed against the skirt of her dress as he passed the half- open door of the hot-house. ‘*And you wont stay for the Christmas shooting?” Major Melworth said, as he broke one of Anderson’s pet roses ruth- lessly from its stem. ‘¢ You are most kind, Melworth,” Colnel Falconer returned, slowly, ‘‘but I have definitely decided to take passage in the Siren, that leaves on the first of November.” ‘¢So soon ?” ‘* Ves, because— Here comes the old King of the Roses himself,” Hugo cried, breaking short off in his sentence. ‘‘ Mr. f Anderson, you have excelled yourself in autumn roses this season. © ‘‘Ve’re pleased to say sae, sir’ said Anderson, gravely. ‘¢But—where is Miss Alicia’s maid ?” ‘‘Not here, assuredly,” said Melworth. ‘‘ But come on, Falconer, to the stables, and let me have your opinion of that new hunter I have just invested a hundred guineas in.” ‘¢' Then she must hae gann een,” said the old man, wrath- fully. ‘‘And me been and cut the white roses. But I'll na Eomicbooks.co im