Guy Hammersley; or, Clearing his Name — page 93: what you’re looking at

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

84 CUY HAMMERSLEY. just as Guy stepped out toward the footlights to begin his recitation of ‘‘ Bridget Maloney on the Chinese Question.” But in what fearful contrast were the emotions of his heart to the sentiments on his lips! From his post in the wings, where he had been standing in readiness to go on as soon as Ruth should finish her encore, he had seen his mother enter the private box, and twice kiss the little boy whose beauty even Ward had remarked upon. What did it mean? Why did she seem to want him, her own son, out of the way? Why, she was smiling back at the small boy now, and only two minutes before she had seemed like one in a faint! Guy’s head swam as he tried to find a solution to the mystery, and all the while he went on me- chanically with his rendering of the mirth provoking monologue, not knowing at what instant he might break down. EoOmicboo <S m (E()