Gratia's Trials — page 79: what you’re looking at

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

70 eaten GRATIA’S TRIALS. ‘‘That settles the matter,” said Colonel Falconer, ‘‘if you would consent to fill the position of my little girl’s attendant, at least for a few days, until we can replace the woman whose criminal neglect had so nearly proved fatal.” ‘“TDo, Gratia! We'll have such nice times together !” whis- pered Ida, patting her new friend’s cheek. ‘‘ Péease, Gratia.” ‘« But I am afraid I should not be able to give satisfaction,” hesitated Gratia, who had caught chance peeps afar off of the Falconer family as one of the wealthiest and most stylish who were staying at the Ocean Wave Hotel. ‘‘We will risk that,” said Colonel Falconer, kindly. ‘‘ That is, 1f you really are not unwilling to undertake the charge of Ida.” “Qh, sir,” said Gratia, artlessly. ‘‘I should be delighted !” ‘‘Tam so glad, papa!” chirped Ida. And this was our young heroine’s first promotion in the lad- der of life. All this time they had been hurrying up the wooden steps, and across the lawn, and now stood opposite the door of No, 100, which Colonel Falconer threw open and entered without further ceremony. CHAPTER XIV. WINNING HER WAY, Hugo Falconer was a widower of about two and thirty years, exceedingly handsome, after the dark, Spanish style, with large dark eyes, hair thick, glossy, and so black that it caught a pur- plish tint in the shadow, and he was one of the partners in a large banking-house on Wall street—Miller, Falconer & Co, The senior member of the firm was a rich bachelor uncle, Ralph Miller, by name, who was also staying at the Ocean _ Wave, with “his sister and her family. He was a short, bald- m comicbooks.co