Lady Evelyn — page 229: what you’re looking at

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

Yea) abs wee a “The Grey Girl's rey | aA | os Dee, Wave as ay by Ree va ee ah ee au ee ane 7, ie: wh 0 | Se ? Aye Cie ra | | es at her as men (60k their last on what he love | ‘pest. She was dressed for dinner, in trailing violet silk, with pearls on the arched throat, and white roses in the dead-black hair. How beatiful she was! No wonder | men had gone near to the gates of death for love of her. “Is it true,” she asked, a tremor in the sweet voice. “Do you really go so soon?” “Would to God I had gone long ago!” he burst forth, passionately. “Would God I had never come! [| should not then have been false to friendship and to honor. [. should not then have said the words I was mad enough and base enough to say to you to-day. But in your dan- ~ ger I forgot everything else. Lady Evelyn, the only ex- piation I can make is to go and never-look upon your face again; to carry my secret with me, and bury it with me when I die, in the land I have left. Wiaull you say larewels and ‘I forgive you, before I go?” She had grown white as death, cold as death. She stood listening to him, fixed and rigid as stone, her eyes looking straight out at the misty moonrise, and seeing nothing. } ; “You do not speak. I have been too mad and pre- sumptuous, and my sin—of loving you—is beyond par- don. Well, I deserve it. I have been false to the friend whose bread I have broken; false from the first instant I looked upon your face. I, a penniless soldier of fortune, have dared to love Lord Clontarf’s priceless daughter. Yes, silent sgorn is surely answer enough for me!” She turned and looked at him. The depths of self- scorn, and something she could not understand in his tone, roused her. “What do you mean?” she said, slowly. “You are _ good enough, great enough, noble enough, for a princess! But you are right—you must go, and at once. I can echo your prayer—it would have been better you had never come—better for you—better—for me.” Her voice broke over the last words. But his face i lichted, his eyes glowed. ‘Lady Evelyn,” he cried, “for pity’s sake, tell mea you been free, had I been of your own rank, could yous have learned to love me?” Bat) The violet eyes turned to him full of pri reproach. f —— Tei is 5 cruel 10. are iste, ees said “bat if He ysl a eS ’ } fy HS Fy a ; oan iy 4, seer Gs ot te. J, ‘ "