Richard Forrest, Bachelor — page 38: what you’re looking at

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

“ARTHUR AND I HAVE PAKTED !” 29 mentioned Mr. Eldridge’s name, she left the room without replying. So Rose held her peace, though she thought of little else. Another long week dragged itself into the past—seven days of torture to Rose’s loving heart, and to listless un- happiness to the other. Florence would sit quietly at the window, for hours, in her favorite low chair, pretending to read or do some trifling fancy work, but three-quarters of the time she would be lost in thought. Rose watched her narrowly, longing, hoping for the con- fidence which was not forthcoming. ‘‘She must speak soon,’’ she argued to herself, as she tossed on her sleepless bed, ‘‘and then what shall I say to her? Lam divided between pity for her and my own selfish- ness. If I only dared speak to Father Moore and get his ad- vice—but it would be unfair to her. It must be hard for the poor child; if I could only endure it in her stead !”’ After the first outbreak Florence showed no more weak- ness. She went around the house as noiselessly as a mouse, and more than once Rose caught her coming out of her room with suspiciously red eyelids, but considerately re- frained from letting her see that she noticed it. She racked her brain daily to find out what she could do to help her sister, but gave up in despair, as nothing sug- gested itself. It was evident that she was suffering; but it was plain, also, that she did not desire sympathy even from her, and so, although her heart ached for her, Rose was silent. | Letters came to her almost daily, but Rose was satisfied from her face that never a line came from him, and from CORNIELOOO KS4EC)