His Other Wife: A Novel — page 195: what you’re looking at

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

ON BOARD THE MADCAP. 187 ¢ Shall we land? Are there people—zomen on the island ?” There was wild and almost desperate demand in the girl’s tone, that told its own story of the horror she felt at being alone on the vast deep, with only three men—two of them desperadoes, as any one might see at a glance— the third no less fit to be the guardian and custodian of a maiden’s fair fame. ‘“We can land, if you wish, and there may be inhab- itants, but I do not know just yet where we are.” ‘Oh, God! why did you let me live to suffer a fate like this?” cried the girl, with despairing passion, as she raised her clasped hands to heaven, and then pressed them to her anguished face, as if to shut out the horrid present from her sight and consciousness. ‘For pity sake, don’t—don’t!” pleaded the man, falling on his knees before her, and attempting to take her hands. She sprang away from him as if his delicate, dark fingers had been adders that stung her to madness, and, in a sharp, suffering tone, cried: | ‘‘Do not touch me, unless you want to drive me frantic. Leave me—leave me at once!” What have I done to merit this from you? Do I not likewise suffer ten thousand deaths in the dire catastrophe that has brought you to this sore strait? Would I not give my life to release you from one pang that rends you sensitive soul?” | ‘If I seem cruel or unjust, you must forgiveme, Only Gomicbooks. (E(e) m