A Parisian Romance — page 39: what you’re looking at

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

30 A PARISIAN ROMANCE. The girl laughed now, but a laugh which died away in a sort of sob. “Tt is too absurd,” she said, “but, if I had let you go by, lam afraid Ishould have been obliged to stay here all night. In attempting to reach some flowers which grew within those bushes there, I turned my ankle and I simply cannot step upon it.” Again the dark eyes were raised to his, and, Henri felt his heart give a sort of leap within his breast. “By Jove! but she’s a beauty!” he thought, and then said aloud: “Tam very fortunate, then, to have been passing at just this time. Is it very bad?” “Tam afraid so. It pains me badly whenever I move.” “Try, if you cannot rise.” The girl took his proffered hand, and managed gradually to rise to her feet, but at the first step she attempted to take, an expression of pain contracted her features and she clutched Henri’s arm in an effort to steady herself. “It is no use,” she said. “I cannot bear my weight upon it.” “Do you live far from here?” asked Henri, draw- ing the little hand close within his arm. “Don’t be afraid to lean upon me.” “Not far. Do you know where the Lion d’ Or is, just the other side of the woods?” “Oh! yes, very well.” “Tam staying there.” Eomicbooks.co