The Opposite House: A Novel — page 155: what you’re looking at

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

150 Lhe Opposite House. the window, making lightning flashes of color dart around her trembling fingers. “Ts this enough to buy a soul from Satan ?” she asked, in an expressionless voice. ‘It will do tolerably well,” replied Brand, witha nod, as he let the gems slip separately through his fingers, and then flung them back into the casket. “One thing more, however, ma belle,” he pleaded, with a mocking assumption of gallantry. ‘‘ Might I ask for a little dedication? Here are pens and paper. I will dictate only a few words. Write, mademoiselle ; | am in a hurry.” Heloise calmly took the pen—everything was now a matter of indifference to her—a fragment of her heart seemed to have been wrenched out with the gems. Brand slowly repeated the form of words, and she wrote that she gave him the diamonds as property legally acquired by purchase. ‘Then she added her name, and Brand even pressed her seal beneath it for security. “Everything must bein due form,” he said, de- risively. Then he read the lines once more and folded the paper. ‘‘ What do you intend to do now, my dearest °” ‘“T shall go back to my native land, and hope to return shortly with my victorious brothers to re- cover my jewels.” CoMmicbooOoks.c©