His Other Wife: A Novel — page 48: what you’re looking at

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

‘40 THE DEAD LIVES” make yourself loved—that I should hate myself eternally if I could lure a star so bright from its orbit into the uncongenial sphere of my commonplace existence. I dare not ask you to share my life of stern endeavor—perhaps of failure. Only a dishonorable coward would so misuse your confidence. I will do what I can to save you from dis- tress. While you require my friendship and devoted service, and until I know you safe and happy with one worthy to be TOM life’s guardian and protector, I shall remain ‘¢ Yours to command, w—_.”? Leda smiled over this letter as she refolded it and ‘locked it away in her desk. She read between the formal lines, and was content to know that if it suited her to be patient with his chivalrous scruples, she easily might hold his great heart’s allegiance forever. * * * * o Three weeks later, | Leda is alone at Lucerne, Mrs, Morgan has been two days in her grave, ) ‘‘Honey, Mr. Croft is here, and waitin’ in de parlor fur to see you.” It is old Aunt Charity, the negro nurse of her infancy, who thus addresses Leda. Miss Morgan rose at once from the old mahogany cabi- net in her dead mother’s room, where she had been over- looking some papers and letters which Mrs. Vomeneh had desired her to collect and burn. — She glanced at her superb figure, now clad in | mourning robes, of Soft Canton crepe, smoothed. back. the. -Slossy Eomicbooks.¢o