Gratia's Trials — page 205: what you’re looking at

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

196 f GRATIA’S TRIALS. intersected by other streets, she turned to her right hand, for no reason, except that the momentary current of the crowd seemed to carry her in that direction, and kept on, heedless of aching limbs, weary feet, and cold, pinched frame. ‘The river—yes, Gratia smelled the salt gusts. She could hear the floating cakes of ice plash up and down in the turbid rush of the tide. The street she was traversing terminated in a huge, unquarfied mass of rock, and just opposite Blackwell’s Island loomed up, dark and grizzly. Gratia stood there, her hands uplifted, the bitter wind blowing her curls back from her face, in a tangled mass, ‘Why should I fear?” she said aloud, with a wild laugh. ‘“The water is not colder than the hearts of the world, and death is better far than life! Why should I fear?” CHAPTER XXXVI. A FIFTH AVENUE DINNER PARTY. Mrs. Falconer and her daughter had wisely determined to keep the secret of their encounter with Gratia Kempfield from Colonel Falconer and Ida. _. **Where would be the use of telling of it, mamma?” said Alberta. ‘*‘ Hugo did always make such a ridiculous fuss about that girl—only think of his scolding us for letting her go away from here, after poor dear Uncle Ralph’s death! As if we could have slept peacefully in our beds with her prowling round like a ghost or a midnight assassin!. And he would be just as likely now to blame us for telling Miss Melworth the truth about her.” ‘‘I don't see but what you are right, my dear,” the prudent mamma had answered. ‘‘And as there is no particular occa- sion for our making a scene, either with Hugo or Ida, we may as well hold our tongues. That girl seemed to have the art Eomicbooks.con