Her Faithful Knight — page 285: what you’re looking at

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

Dorothy’s Confession. 281 was eight-and-twenty, and human, and even honor and chivalry cannot wholly subdue the feelings of a man. . “T don’t want to force your confidence,” he said, “but this man Derrick or Trevelyan must be quite an excep- tionally bad lot.” “He is wholly and altogether vile. It makes me sick to think of him!” she returned with passionate energy. and then, suddenly sinking down in one of the armchairs by the fire, she covered her face with her hands and is to weep. “I’m very sorry,” she sobbed. “I know a man hints to see anybody cry. But I feel broken. Please don’t take any notice of me.” “Cry, if it does you good,” he said gently, and, seating himself at his desk with his back to her, he pretended to be absorbed in adding together imaginary rows of figures, which he scrawled upon his blotting book. Gradually her quick sobbing ceased. She dried her eyes and sat some moments staring into the fire, lost in thought. At last, looking up suddenly, she addressed Aylmer in sweet, appealing tones. “Mr. Read,” she said, “you must think me > terribly un- grateful, but I suppose I have -had too much to bear lately, and it has soured me. Will you come over here by the fire and talk to me? There is something I want to tell you.” He came at once, but found it very difficult to sit oppo- site her and look at her in a brotherly and impassioned way now when her lashes were wet with tears and her. mouth still quivered with weeping. Grief, while it marred her beauty, lent to her appearance an appealing helpless- ness which went straight to Aylmer’s heart. But he schooled himself to ask in level tones what she had to tell him. “It is very generous of you to ask me no question: ns MIEIOO S (E()