Richard Forrest, Bachelor — page 85: what you’re looking at

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

76 “T BELIEVE I’M IN LOVE.” ‘‘Were you home when he died?”’ asked Mr. Clayton. “Ves I’d been back a month when he took the cold which killed him.’”’ ‘Strange you andI never met before,’’ pursued his ques- tioner, with an odd twinkle in his eye. “It seems to me we should have done so.”’ Arthur agreed with him perfectly, but did not consider it wise to express himself to that effect in just so many words, so he merely uttered a commonplace ‘‘thank you,’’ trusting the subject would end there. But the old man was not willing to have itso; he wished to learn all the par- ticulars of his friend’s death, (he was in Florida when it occurred), and when Arthur had given him as graphic a description as he could of it, he looked at him quizzically through his glasses once more and said: “There is no doubt at all about it; I should have known you before.’’ Arthur winced. Was the old gentleman taking advant- age of his position and taunting him with his flight to Nor- way? Did he know positively that he had gone in order to frus- trate the plan so dear to his heart at that time? It seemed so, certainly, and his own father must have explained the situation to him more or less fully. Arthur acknowledged to himself that he had been a fool, but that was the last reason in the world why he should acknowledge it to this man. He thought him little short of impertinent, but still, he was at a disadvantage, so he exclaimed, warmly: ‘‘For my part, Mr. Clayton, nobody regrets the delay so — much as I.”’ This speech evidently pleased Mr. Clayton, for he in- stantly held out his hand to Arthur, GOomichbooksaco