Richard Forrest, Bachelor — page 239: what you’re looking at

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

230 EXONHRATED. Arthur stared at him in blank consternation. ‘‘See here, Dick, what far-fetched joke is this you are trying to perpetrate?’’ he demanded. ‘‘I warn you, I do not take it in good part. You’re simply guying me to amuse yourself.”’ “Yet my statement goes,’’ reiterated Dick, composedly, “for, Arthur, Florence Delmar’s sister and your wife’s late companion, Elsie Cameron, are one and the same per- son.”’ Arthur’s face expressed such absolute stupefaction as Dick uttered these words that the latter could scarcely re- press a smile, but before he could recover himself Dick had poured into his ear the whole story, not omitting the part he himself occupied in itor the danger which had threatened Arthur at Elsie’s avenging hands. ‘It is bewildering, and it sounds like a romance, does it not?’? he wound up. ‘‘And it is as true as it is pitiful. Of course at a glance she would appear most culpable. But,”’ quickly, ‘‘I know every fact so thoroughly, I know her agony—what her feelings toward you must have been—all, from beginning to end, and have weighed it most conscien- tiously. She was mad, of course, but on that account was she not all the more excusable? <Ah,’’ as Arthur’s brows drew together darkly, ‘‘I see doubt in your face; but listen; I will use your own argument against you. Perhaps I see only through the blinded eyes of love. You may claim that I could find pardon for her, even had she committed mur- der—would pity her, had she yielded to the horrible temp- tation which assailed her. Granted. Can you blame me? You, by your own avowal, understand the power of love; possibly it has rendered me incapable of judging her. She is the only woman I have ever met whom I would give CO NNIElOOO KS.) im