The Price He Paid — page 117: what you’re looking at

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

108 THE BARON'S DECREE. “Have you often seen or spoken to him, since you came to R——?” “Twice only—the day he called on mamma, and last night at the ball.” , “On no other occasion?” “No.” The baron drew a deep breath of relief. “This young man evidently pays you a degree of attention which oversteps the bounds of ordinary callantry,” he continued; “and you seem not only to suffer, but to encourage it.” Gabrielle was silent. . “T expect an answer, Gabrielle.” She looked up. There was no sign of fear in her face. It spoke rather of open rebellion. “ And if that were the case?” she asked. “It would be high time to put an end to such childish nonsense,” Raven answered sharply. “You must know very well that nothing serious could ever come of it.” The young lady tossed her fair head with an offended, yet a most resolute air. | “TItis not mere childish nonsense,” she replied, with the utmost decision. “George Winterfeld loves me.” The baron’s eyes flashed fire. He rose quickly, and folded his arms on his breast, as though to compel himself to be calm; but his voice was low and menacing as he answered her: “Oh, oh! he has told you this already? Last night, perhaps, during your waltz?” ~— “He told me long ago, in Switzerland, that he loved me.” — | Raven laughed out loud—a short, harsh laugh. “T suspected it, 1 vow,” he said, with bitter sar- casm. “So youtwo were acting through a romance under your mother’s eyes, she having not the faint- est notion of it the while, Well, it is what one might expect from her. But itis less easy to deceive me. If you intended that, you should have guarded your looks better; they were far too eloquent yesterday evening. Jt can make many excuses for you, Gabrielle, on account of your youth and inexperi- (E(0) Gomicbooks