Richard Forrest, Bachelor — page 195: what you’re looking at

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

186 . ARTHUR'S FOLLY. CHAPTER XXII. ARTHUR’S FOLLY. ‘* “CANNES, Villa Neuve—Tuesday. “My DrarR Mrs. ELDRIDGE:—I am more than sorry to learn from you that your husband has not been very well and trust that by this time he is quite himself once more. But I beg of you not to let that prevent you from coming to me, for the seventh. Coax him to allow you to take the short trip alone with your maid, and to join you assoonas he is able. I am selfish in thus persisting, perhaps, but if you only realized how anxious I am to have you grace my house-party with your charming presence, I know you would not refuse me. Sir Harvey, poor old man, is con- stantly raving over you, and 1 can safely promise that the attention which you will receive while with me will so hasten Mr. Eldridge’s recovery that he will follow you by the first available train. Wire what time to send for you, dear Mrs. Eldridge, and believe me, always, ‘* ‘Cordially your friend, **SADELINA C. BARRow.’”’ Gertrude read this sprightly epistle to her husband one balmy morning in March, as he was reclining on the divan in the morning-room. A slight attack of influenza had kept him confined to the house for a week, and even to his bed, for two days. He was able tosit up now, however, and, man-like, was setting everything at ‘‘sixes and sevens’’ by his restlessness to be up and out. His wife had been trying to entertain him for the last hour, much as one wuuld a fretful child, but with indiffer- ent success. In spite of her varied and numberless attempts to interest him and make the time pass less heavily to him, CORNIEOOO<S,EORn