Richard Forrest, Bachelor — page 31: what you’re looking at

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

22 “IF HE WHERE T0 DISAPPOINT MY HOPES!” mean if you were to marry badly. Consider how I should suffer, Florence. You must not be so headstrong. I don’t pretend to tell you what you shall or shall not do—lI can- not take that responsibility upon myself. I am forced to trust you to do what you believe to be for your own best interests alone—helping you a little if I can. I only beg of you to be prudent and to consider well before you take any important step. And if you feel the need of my aid or counsel at any time while you are away telegraph me, and I will be with you in a few hours’ time. But whatever you _ do, darling, remember that your sister loves you as no one else in the world ever can, and that she would die to spare you pain.”’ | Two soft, white arms crept about the elder girl’s neck, and two rosy. lips sought hers. ‘I shall act precisely as though you were with me all the time I am away,’’ was the earnest response, ‘‘and no nun could be more circumspect than I shall be—I shall be ‘prunes and prisms’ to every man I meet, and as for Ar- thur,’’ with a roguish wink, ‘‘I shall tell him plainly when he begins to chatter ‘sweet nothings’ to me again that he must beard the lioness in her den, and that unless he can insinuate himself into the good graces of Miss Rose Delmar his hopes concerning myself are vain. And now come up to my room and I’ll show you the photograph of your in- tended brother-in-law. He gave it to me the last time I was at Dolly’s.”’ * Gomichookssco im