The Opposite House: A Novel — page 161: what you’re looking at

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

156 The Opposite House. ing her eyes with an earnest look, she said, sol- emnly : ‘Promise not to break this seal, Traugott, unless it is God’s will that you should be severely wounded, so severely that—that there would scarcely be a hope of recovery. Then you may break it—not before.” She had scarcely been able to utter the last words; her heart was beating so that it almost stifled her, and the thought of the possibility that he might open it with fingers stiffening in the death-chill almost made her senses fail. But she controlled herself. She knew that she ought not to make the parting hard for him, and, with a touching smile, held out her hand. “TI promise!” he said, earnestly, clasping it closely. Then Marie fastened the ribbon round his neck, and he hid the memento in his breast, kissing the - ribbon and the hand which bestowed it, while the young girl whispered, amid her tears : “God guard you !” Comiclbooolk<s C@ 5}