Richard Forrest, Bachelor — page 236: what you’re looking at

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

EXONERATED. 227 and were inclined to be exceedingly confidential. I repeat, Iwas not acquainted with either of the men, but both Dolly and Florence seemed to be on excellent terms with them, for, as they took their seats for coffee, I heard them address each other by their first names as glibly as though they had bsen friends of years standing. ‘Florence and ‘Eddie,’ as she called one of the men—ah, never shall I forget my sensations at that moment !—seated themselves in blissful unconsciousness side by side, not four feet away from me. You also recollect those bamboo curtains? They hid me perfectly, and to my horror, ‘Ed- die’ slipped his arm about her waist in the most natural fashion imaginable. : ‘‘What blind idiots we youngsters in love are! I fully ex- pected to see my paragon rise in haughty indignation and smite him across the face for his impertinence. Pas du tout; will you credit this statement? She, the girl who the day before had lisped words of love to me, actually leaned back until her dainty, blonde head rested on his shoulder. Involuntarily I clinched my fists; my blood was seething in my veins, when a remark, coupled with a rippling laugh from Dolly, who was fussing with the coffee, held me spell- bound. ‘““<¢What if your devoted Arthur could see you now?’ she babbled, dropping a lump of sugar into one of the cups. ‘Do you pretend to think he would be pleased?’ ‘¢‘Hddie’ spared Florence the trouble of replying. ‘What do you suppose we care for the opinion of that cad?’ he spoke up, savagely. ‘What possible right would he have to interfere?’ | “‘Byery right,’ returned Dolly, smoothly. ‘You know Florence is going to marry him. It’s on the cards,’ CO RNIGElOOOKS,E)