Richard Forrest, Bachelor — page 17: what you’re looking at

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

8 THE DELMAR SISTERS. glancing in, that there must be a woman living there, for the feminine touch ina home is unmistakable. And the passer-by would be right, only there were two—the Del- mar sisters—and they lived quite alone with a maid-of-all- work to wait upon them. At the time our story opens, a bleak November day, Rose, the elder, was sitting in the cozy room known as the library, with a brown and white collie, which lay dozing at her feet, for company. She was sewing industriously, but every few minutes she would glance up from her work to give an order to the servant who was constantly pop- ping her capped head in at the door, it must be acknowl- edged, somewhat impatiently. ‘‘No sign of her yet, Nora?’’ she asked, as the mantel clock chimed a pert one—two. ‘‘No, Miss Rose,’’ was the answer, given in a grieved tone, ‘‘and I don’t know what to do about her luncheon. The milk-toast is almost spoiled. Why, it’s been standing this hour!’’ Miss Delmar snipped off a thread with her scissors. ‘Oh, never mind,’’ she said, good-humoredly, ‘‘Miss Florence is not over particular, you know. Besides, if she’s late, of course, she cannot expect a very good luncheon. There, isn’t that pretty?’’ and she held up a just-finished bonnet for the girl’s inspection. | ‘‘Bless my heart and soul, Miss Rose, but it’s areal stun- ner!’’ was the enthusiastic reply. ‘‘How lovely Miss Flor- ence will look, to be sure! Here she comes now.’’ While she spoke the door opened, and a slim, girlish fig- ure, clad in a green cloth riding habit, flew in like a whirl- wind, bringing with her the scent of the fresh, crisp air outside, her eyes sparkling and her cheeks glowing. Om O\0K0)| KS (2)