His Other Wife: A Novel — page 234: what you’re looking at

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

226 A LAMB AND A WOLF. my dear, I always make my wife and the girls keep these same weapons about them ?” ‘“Why?” asked Faith, now holding out her hand for the poniard, with which the old sailor was playing. ‘‘ Well, you see, they live among a lawless set, and a woman should always be provided against danger.” ‘*But so few women could use a pistol with any effect in time of peril.” ‘Don't you believe that. A robber within a few inches of the hand that’s got the pistol ain’t hard to hit.” ‘«So few women have the nerve to kill any one, even in self-defense,” said Faith, shuddering at the bare idea, __ ‘“That's true; but they all have nerve to put.a dagger in their own hearts rather than fall into the power of evil men.” ‘*Oh, of course they have.” ‘‘And that's why I make my women keep the dagger, so that if the worst comes, they’ve always a way to escape.” The mate fixed his silvery blue eye on the girl’s anxious face as he spoke. _ He saw that she took his meaning. He went on to add: ‘‘You see, my dear, I’m of the same sort of stuff that made the stern old Roman father put a blade through young Virginia's heart, rither than let the bloody Tarquin have his beautiful child. You’ve read that dark old tale?” Se Ga. | | The word came soft and low, for the girl was strangely awed by the turn that Conway’s talk had taken. Eomicbooks. com