The Price He Paid — page 120: what you’re looking at

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

THE BARON’S DECREE. 111 to speak so of this Winterfeld in my _ presence. You will never be his wife—never, I tell you—at least, while I live.” The young girl drew herself erect. She was in- dignant at, rather than daunted by, his extreme vehemence. a, Uncle Arno, you are horribly, cruelly unjust. pe) reer Suddenly she stopped. Her eyes met his, and the ardent consuming fire in them seemed to scorch her with its intense glow. It was not the blaze of hatred, nor of anger. There was suffering in that look, fierce, wild pain stimulated almost to mad- ness. Gabrielle pressed both hands on her bosom. She felt as though breath and consciousness were forsaking her; then, vivid as lightning, with a blinding, stupefying shock, the truth flashed upon her. She grew deadly pale,and caught at the back of the chair as though for support. This movement of hers in some measure restored the baron to himself. He saw the great paleness which overspread her features, and attributed it in some measure to fear aroused by his violence. This man, accustomed to the severest self-control, had, probably for the first time in his life, allowed himself to be carried beyond bounds. “JT have alarmed you with my vehemence,” said the baron at last, without turning round. “Such matters require to be discussed quietly, and we are neither of us ina fitting frame of mind just now. To-morrow, later on, perhaps—leave me, Gabrielle.” She obeyed, walking with bowed head to the door, but there she paused. Again, as on the preceding evening, she felt, without seeing it,the look which rested on her; and again, as then, she was con- strained by some mysterious attraction to meet that look. Raven had, indeed, turned, and was fol- lowing her with his eyes. “One thing more,” he said—his voice was com- pletely under control now, but it hada dull un- natural sound—“not aword, notalineto him. I will speak to him myself.” Gabrielle left the room, and returned to her Eomichboo <S (E(©)