Richard Forrest, Bachelor — page 87: what you’re looking at

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

78 “T BELIEVE I’M IN LOVE.” one had almost to listen for it, was sweeter than music to kis ears. She attracted him to her side like a magnet, and when there, he experienced a feeling of absolute content- ment. She was wearing a costume of rose-color, combined with rich black lace. It revealed a neck and shoulders of which any queen might have been proud. The hair rippled back from her forehead, in its own bewitching fashion, and was coiled in a half careless, half studied knot at the back of her neck. About her throat was clasped a string of pink pearls with a diamond fleur-de-lis pendant. There was time to exchange only a few words, before the butler threw open the dining-room and announced that ‘‘dinner was served.”’ Gertrude laid her hand upon Arthur’s arm, while Mr. | Clayton escorted a very old lady in dark ruby velvet—a Mrs. Crossman Stanmore, a distant relative of his, in to dinner. Six in all sat down. P The dining-room, the largest room in the house, was ob- long in shape and sumptuously appointed, even for these days of extravagance and varied taste. The ceilings were unusually high and paneled in carved oak, with which the walls also were wainscoted. At the farther end were two heavy arches over spaces originally intended for doors, perhaps, but which were left open with the exception of a fluted column dividing them. Through this could be seen the conservatory, filled with tropical trees and plants that half concealed a fountain, built in the shape of a pile of rocks. Arthur made up his mind, as the courses were served, that his host was a thorough believer in appeasing the wants of the inner man inthe most approved manner, GoOmichbooksaco