His Other Wife: A Novel — page 56: what you’re looking at

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

48 MISSIONARY WORK.- After the meeting Mr. Croft joined the family at their seat in the end of the church, where they waited for him. He let the old pair, Mr. and Mrs. Reed, go on before, while he drew Rachel’s hand upon his arm and led her homeward, playing the while upon her sentient heart- chords, as a cunning harper plays upon the well-attuned strings. For several weeks he never spoke to the girl on any other subjects than religion. By the end of a month she adored him as a saint, but did not know that she loved him as a man. Finally the new minister asked the old man Reed’s con- sent to address his ward. It was promptly given, for, by that time, Mr. Croft had established himself in the very sanctuary of the people’s heart. Rachel almost died of ecstasy when she heard Mathew Croft ask her to be his wife. Never did a votary of the dreadful Moloch fling life’s treasure into the idol’s flames with joy more wild and reckless than that with which Rachel Logan abandoned herself, soul and body, to her love for this man. They were married, and remained in Bethel until a short time after Mrs. Croft came into absolute possession of her handsome fortune, left her by some rich relative in the South-west. | Meantime, the-old lady—her adopted mother—had died, - Mr. Croft knew that the poor old man could not long sur-: vive his Jife’s companion, yet. he made no scruple of: re- am, Comicbooks iGO