Richard Forrest, Bachelor — page 216: what you’re looking at

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

“Tf CANNOT BE YOUR JUDGE,” 207 ‘You did not follow me, then? You must have known——’’ She faltered and paused. Dick put his hand to his forehead in a bewildered man- ner. ‘There is some awful mistake here,’’ he protested, con- fidently. ‘‘I know positively that Arthur never even met Mademoiselle Florine. ”’ | Her delicate nostrils dilated with anger. ‘‘And I know to the contrary,’’ she returned. ‘‘What, do you suppose I am entertaining you witha fairy story? However,’’ she went on, more gently, ‘‘it is true she is much altered in appearance since even the time when I last saw her. Mademoiselle Florine, in her gorgeous cos- tumes, and with the hundred and one artistic little touches which go to complete her toilet, is a very different looking person from plain little Florence Delmar.’’ Dick’s head was ina whirl; he did not know what to think or say. The only person who could set this wretched matter straight was in no condition to answer any ques- tion, rational or irrational. The situation was a complicated one, itis true, and looked rather black for Arthur. Still, _in his inmost heart, he could not doubt his old friend. Not for a second did his faith in him waver. He took a few more paces the length of the room and then stopped ab- ruptly in front of her. | ‘‘Miss Delmar, as I must now call you,’’ he began, quietly, ‘‘now that you have spoken plainly, I will be equally candid and acknowledge to you that your sister’s name is not an unfamiliar one to my ears. In fact, I heard Arthur speak of her more than once before he was married. I do not deny, either, that he may have cared for her, and CONNIElOOO KS.) im