I Forbid the Banns! — page 342: what you’re looking at

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

332 ‘‘“IT FORBID THE BANNS!” He watched her silently. All at once he remembered having seen Sir Ecroyd Fairleigh in the course of the night. A terrible thought seized him in its grasp. “We could not have been more than an hour at that place when you were——let us say, indisposed,”’ he remarked. ‘‘ Not more, I am sure,” she said without looking up. “Then how were you brought here? The brougham was not to return until one o’clock.”’ “Sir Ecroyd Fairleigh was good enough to offer me his brougham,” she replied. ‘* He only intended remaining a short time, and the brougham waited for him.”’ “Quite so,’ said he after a pause. ‘“ That was very obliging of Sir Ecroyd. I think I shall go to the smoking room, if you don’t mind. My cigarette will not improve your condition, and I can see that you are ina state of nervous prostration.”’ ‘No, no, do not go,” she moaned. “Stay with me; God knows I need you—someone who can help me.”’ “ How can I help you?” said he coldly. ‘I cannot hope to be a help to a woman whose will is sufficiently strong to make the strongest men her slaves. Iam only a poor thing. You have shown yourself to be stronger than I could ever hope to be. I can only leave you alone. Your own thoughts will, no doubt, be a help and a comfort to you at this time.” He had left the room before she could speak—before she could comprehend what his words meant. What did his words mean ? She tried to think, but utterly failed in her attempt. The tone that he had adopted was exactly the same as that which had caused her to leave the drawing room at the Court. In an instant she sprang to her feet. “Oh, my God!” she cried wildly. “Can it be possible that he has lost all respect for me, as I have lost all for (EOMMICLYOOlKS (EC)