Richard Forrest, Bachelor — page 243: what you’re looking at

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

234 EXONERATED. thur, ‘‘which is a blessing, for I was pretty well disgusted with you. Have a cheroot?’’ Dick refused absently. ‘‘On the contrary, I know almost every step she has taken since she left Nice so hurriedly the morning after that horrible night,’’ he said, musingly. ‘“‘She went dli- rectly to Paris, where Flcrence had fled after the disagree- able scene between them, and there, unknown to her, kept watch over her sister like a guardian for months. Finally, when the artful minx succeeded in insnaring an Austrian baron, with more money than intellect, so hope- lessly in her toils that he married her, considering her duty toward the girl over, about six weeks ago she re- turned to her old home at Wallford, where she now lives quietly and alone.”’ ‘*You have seen her’?’ demanded Arthur, with frush in- terest. NOG Arthur shook his head with the impatient, pitying smile which one person bestows on another when he looks oon him as a hopeless case. ‘‘But you will?’’ he persisted, after a pause. Dick made no immediate answer; he was attentively regarding the brim of his hat, which he held in his hand. But as Arthur repeated his question, he finally replied: ‘*And if I don’t?” ‘‘Then,’’ returned Arthur, with decision, ‘‘I suppose _ there is nothing left for you except to help swell the ranks of the old bachelors, dozens of whom you come in contact with every day. Take Tom Vernon, for example; he was young once, I presume, but what is he now? Crabbed, selfish, dyspeptic—a, victim to all the ailments brought on COMME OO<S.COlhm