The Illegal Marriage — page 252: what you’re looking at

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

O44 THE ILLEGAL MARRIAGE. would have thrown himself at her feet and told her the story of his life and love. “Come, Cecy,” said Mrs. Bond, to break the awk- ward pause, “come, take a last look and let us go. What will you do about your things?” She looked up into Stannard’s face. _“They are not mine,” she said, and rushing toa vase near, she took out a faded bouquet. “1 shall not leave this—the rest were loaned me, I suppose.” “Indeed they were not, Cecy,” said Stannard, quickly, “I bought them for you. They are yours.” “Can I do what I please with them?” she asked. “Certainly you can. Will you give 2 “Then I shall give them to Mrs. Harris,” she interrupted. “It was what I was about going to suggest,” Stan- nard said, smiling at the eagerness with which she rushed to the door, and called in the jailer’s wife. Kissing the litthe woman warmly, Cecy gave her the things. “She has been so good to me. Colonel Stannard, you can’t think how good she was in those days. Oh! I can never reward you,” she said, again kiss- ing her passionately. “T have been already rewarded,” said Mrs. Harris, elancing at Stannard. “I cannot take 2 Cecy was looking at him intently, and he quickly interrupted the speech which he saw was coming. “It will give Miss Morgan great pleasure to know that you have her things, and I am sure it is much less than you deserve.” } “Certainly it is a great deal less,” said Cecy, warmly. “What should I have done had you not been kind to me?” “Anybody would be kind to you, Miss Morgan.” It was Cecy’s turn to blush now, and she felt that her face was scarlet as she saw the look of fondness which he gave her. | Not one word of love had been spoken between them; but it needs not words to tell a tale of love. “T never had such nice furniture before,” said Mrs. Harris, her eyes gleaming with pleasure, as she looked about the handsomely furnished room. cComicboo cS