The Illegal Marriage — page 186: what you’re looking at

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

~~ SF eO0 . o's SO ie Roe a). Val - rat A Seite! ee ee ee ey oY > J = +, ak Ry AN 8 A es ETE BE Sy NES POE ERAN CLO P ARE RRMES DTD ae ee ee el 3) > ‘ sf, y DAY ; ; aw 178 THE ILLEGAL MARRIAGE, “What passed during that interview I cannot tell; but Alfred left town that evening on the Echa- connee road. I feared that he had already been here. Jam sure you will see him soon.” “T shall not see him,” said Cecy, firmly; “I shall deny myself to him if he comes. Oh, Hattie, why did I not listen to you!” Laying her head in the lap of her friend, Cecy sobbed out her self-accusations, and showed that she was no longer under the influence which had swayed her heart. It was a great consolation to Cecy to have her friend spend the night with her, and until far into the morning they lay in each other’s arms, talking of the past and future trials. True to the prediction of Mrs. Bond, Alfred was in Perry the following day. He had avoided Stan- nard at the hotel, and for some time hung about the jail to make sure that he was not there. It was a great surprise to him when Mrs. Harris returned his card with Cecy’s refusal to see him, and all persuasion failed to induce the honest little woman to take a note of entreaty to Miss Morgan. “It’s no use trying, sir, she will not see you.” “But, Mrs. Harris, just take this to her,” handing a card upon which he had written; “just take this to her and see. If she refuses then I’ll go away.” “You will have to go away without it, for she positively refused to see you. Besides, she has a lady with her.” “A lady? Whoisit, Mrs. Harris?” “A lady from Macon—Mrs. Bond, I believe,” said the little woman, delivering her message according to instructions. Alfred staggered as he heard the name, and re- peated it in surprise. He turned to the door; out into the street he went feeling that his last hope of safety was gone. What had he to live for now? oe could he escape the Nemesis that was pursuing im. Glancing up the street as he climbed the fence for the purpose of striking into the woods where his horse had been left, he saw Stannard approaching Comichbooks.cor