Mrs. Bob: A Novel — page 99: what you’re looking at

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

MONSIEUR MERLE, THE WIZARD. 91 worse—confusion, I mean to enter ze realms of bliss??? stammers the Frenchman. ‘It may be when the right one comes along I will try to win her,’’ returns Bob, slowly. ‘Monsieur, tell me, I beg, has not ze right one come—it is not idle curiosity zat prompts me to ques- tion—I have ze good of your heart at stake?”’ Bob moves uneasily as he thinks that, after all, there may be more about this matter than appears on the surface. | He looks Monsieur Merle in the eye. ‘What is the use of beating around the bush—you refer to Miss Gordon ?’’ he says. The other places his hand over the region of his flinty old heart, bows and smiles. ‘“‘Ze captivating Mees Gordon, who can ride a wild horse, shoot ze deer of ze forest, break hearts and, begar! use her riding whip wiz a vengeance. Yes, zat is ze lady I have refer to.”’ ‘Well, I don’t understand how you came to pry into my affairs——’’ ‘*Vou will bless me for it.”’ “But there’s nothing I’m ashamed of in the business——’’ ‘No, no; certain not.’? “So I don’t mind telling you, in confidence, you understand, that I greatly admire the young lady, and if I remain of the same mind, hope to win her consent, some day, to be my wife.’’ ‘‘Some day—zat is a long way off—why not now, Mousieur Pemberton ?”’ The eagerness which, in spite of habitual caution, Gomichbooksrseom