Richard Forrest, Bachelor — page 120: what you’re looking at

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

PLEDGING HIS WORD. 111 make an old woman of himself—he knew best how he felt, and he told Edward to order the brougham at once. 1 was in despair, for the more we coaxed him—Aunt Margaret and I—the more determined he became. I really think,” refiectively, ‘‘men can be very stubborn at times. ‘‘No doubt about it,’’ responded Arthur, heartily. *‘But what did you do?”’ ‘‘T just sat down and cried. You know, most men hate to see women in tears, so I gained my point, and he is up stairs now, reading. But it was a strugegle.”’ Arthur was ill at ease. He felt that she was making con- versation in order to relieve the embarrassment, but this could not go on indefinitely; a step must be taken by him as quickly as possible. It was out of the question that he should leave without finding out why she had sent for him. He owed it to his self-respect, and moreover, suspense was torture. ‘‘Miss Clayton,’’ said he, bluntly, after a short pause, ‘fam Ito believe you sent for me to come here to-day merely to be thanked for the trifling assistance I rendered you a few days ago?”’ Another pause—a longer one. ‘‘No,’’ she answered, at last. His question was pointed, and many a woman might have answered it differently. To tell the truth, her frank response startled him. ‘‘T will own,’’ she continued, without affectation, ‘‘that I had a purpose in sending for you again. It is better to be honest, after all. Let me finish,’’ she said, as he seemed about to speak. ‘‘When we parted, if you recollect, I would give you no reason for my refusal to become your wife. Yet [had two, either of which was sufficient.’’ She stopped, GoOmichbooks (©)