Beautiful Rienzi; or, The secret vendetta — page 34: what you’re looking at

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

BEAUTIFUL RIENZL 29 sternly. I turned away in dismay and prayed that she would not spurn me. | | ‘‘ Don’t look so distressed, dear!’ she said. ‘“* You surely don’t expect me to love him when I can’t love him. Your anxiety on his account does your heart credit, but, my pet, it is ridiculous. He must marry Lillia Meredith.” ‘ But if he will not?” She laughed almost hysterically. ‘‘Then he can keep on crying for the moon,” was the reply; and she sat down resolutely to her writing-desk. In a few minutes she had handed me the note she had rapidly penned, and bent over the desk to dash off an ad- dress, while I read it. 3 ‘‘Dear Lity Fuower:—Make your arrangements and come immedi- ately to me. I wish you to be prepared to spend the winter with us. The change will be beneficial to your health—besides other reasons touching upon your happiness. The contents of your letter I shall discuss when we meet, Your sincere friend, | © T. Rienzi.” I gave back the letter with a deep sigh. I could not help my apprehensions from becoming visible; besides I sympathized with the poorsoul who had loved my sister so passionately, and I did not feel half so much for the fiancee. Women never do. | ‘¢What if, after all, Miss Meredith fails to rebind him?” I asked. She turned around with the sealed letter in her hand, and met my clouded looks. I cannot describe the sor- row, the remorse, the resolution in my sister’s face. She ressed her hand hard upon her breast, and the very soul whose hidden face I longed to see, seemed trembling on her i1ps. | re Promise to have no secret plots against me in favor of any one!” she cried. ‘‘ Promise to obey my directions in all that pertains to me!” ‘¢T will obey you now and always!” I sobbed. ‘«¢Thanks!” she murmured, softly. Then she restrained herself, and went down stairs to dispatch her letter. | On that day, a gentleman who was the principal of a cer- tain musical club which I shall designate as the “‘ Cybelle Society,” called upon my sister and me to prefer a petition. The members of the society, which consisted of several of the most talented ladies and gentlemen inthe city, were COMICOOO S (©)