Richard Forrest, Bachelor — page 140: what you’re looking at

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

ARTHURS HARANGUE. 131 thur would join them, and the time passed very quickly and pleasantly. Miss Cameron, however, seldom joined in the general conversation. She apparently felt the difference between her position and that of the others, and preferred to sit a little apart with a book or a bit of needle-work. If addressed, she would always reply quietly and politely, but any attempt to draw her into conversation was unsuc- cessful, though Dick, who expressed himself as ‘‘immense- ly taken’’ with the demure way in which she lowered her long lashes when spoken to, persistently tried to do so. Gertrude was enthusiastic in her praises of her and re- paid her devotion with many an act of kindness and con- sideration, prompted by both pity for the lonely girl and a sincere liking for her. ‘‘Do you know,’’ began Dick, one night, when they had been in Paris about two weeks, “‘I really fancy Miss Cam- eron. She’s uncommonly well-read.’’ ‘‘T cannot say that your remark takes me altogether by surprise,’’ returned Arthur, coolly. ‘‘In fact, I’ve noticed that she appears to attract you.”’ ‘“‘She’s sucha self-reliant little creature—so plucky,’’ continued Dick, warmly. ‘‘Looks as though she might have been burned at the stake, if she had had the misfort- une to live in those uncomfortable days when people weren’t permitted to hold opinions of their own.’’ ‘‘You must have been observing her pretty closely,’’ re torted Arthur. ‘‘More or less, naturally.’’ ‘‘TIndeed!”’ Dick glanced at Arthur as this exclamation of disgust or impatience—he was not certain which—escaped him Eomichbooks (E(0)