Richard Forrest, Bachelor — page 240: what you’re looking at

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

EXONERATED. 231 the snap of my finger to marry, and I am no longer young. Put yourself in my position. Would you forgive her?’’ : He leaned toward Arthur with earnestness in his eyes, a tremor in his voice. But the latter sat silent. ‘It is plain,’’ continued Dick, ‘‘that even this argument fails to soften your heart toward her. You may even feel a sort of contemptuous pity for me, considering that I am so inthralled by her that I am petitioning for your clemency against my own better judgment. Perhaps, too, you think I am pleading her cause at the cost of my. dignity. So be it. But, Arthur, suppose it were—Gertrude? Had my ex- perience in this affair been yours, would you have refused to listen to her? Do not reply hastily, nor with prejudice. Answer me, man to man.’’ : For a moment or two there was a silence, broken only by the crackling of the wood in the fire-place. Then, all at once facing his friend, Arthur extended his hand. ‘‘Dick, you have pleaded successfully for her,’’ he said, in a low voice. ' ‘‘I cannot show myself less generous than you. Looking at it, as you suggest, in a perfectly unbiased way, in her estimation I richly deserved annihilation, and yet her tender heart prevented her from harming me. Like yourself, I shall not presume to sit in judgment upon her. Let me be thankful that I am alive. It is Florence to whom I really owe the grudge. Little viper! She was just clever enough to shift the blame to my shoulders but not enough so to lay the suffering there, too. That poor girl must have endured tortures untold for years! No wonder she was reticent and misunderstood. Confound it all, I swear she was a martyr, Dick. I cannot advise you, mind, 99 but if I were you—— CORNICLIOO KS, COR