Richard Forrest, Bachelor — page 185: what you’re looking at

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

176 ‘‘WHERE CAN SHE BE?” silk and chinchilla, with a toque of the same, brightened with a bunch of violots, crowning her golden head. The faintest tinge of rose-color tinted her cheeks, and the deep- blue eyes, coquettishly darkened, were bound to bring dis- aster to more than one heart as she walked through the garden. The hands on the big clock in the hall were just pointing to midday as she descended the hotel stairs, examining with satisfaction her slender figure and piquant features in the mirrors which lined the walls. A group of men, chat- ting in the vestibule, nudged each other and gazed admir- ingly after her as she swept by, and a little flower-girl with a wistful expresion, thrust a bouquet of jonquils toward her, petitioning the ‘‘beautiful lady’’ to buy just a few sous worth for charity’s sake. These attentions, trifling as they were, flattered the vanity of the actress and involun- tarily her head assumed a higher pose and her step grew more elastic, as she continued. But she did not stop as it was already late. So the little girl went without her sous. In such haste was she to reach her point of destination, that she had not noticed the approach of a black-robed figure, and it was not until she heard her name spoken, that she looked up to see a woman standing in front of her. With a low, startled exclamation, she recoiled, as though a vhost had risen in her path. ‘Rose! I thought——”’ she stammered, flushing under her rouge. ‘You thought you would never see me again, is that what you were going to say?’’ was the reply. ‘‘Well, you see, fate has decreed otherwise. If youare not particularly engaged we might walk a little through these lovely grounds. ‘The air is so fine this morning.’’ CORNIELOOO KS.EO)