Should She Have Left Him? — page 148: what you’re looking at

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

142 SHOULD SHE HAVE LEFT HIM? of the map of Europe. Surely self-imposed isola- tion under these circumstances was mid a figure of speech. About the time the marital relations of the Tres- cottes began to be talked about openly, Mrs. Deek- man gave adinner. ‘This lady had three daughters still in stock, and had at one time entertained great hopes of both Trescotte and Waldemar. From the moment I learned that not one of the Courtenay or Trescotte connections were bidden, and that Mr. Magrane was, I had a wicked sus. picion that the dinner was a bit of social diplomacy to get at the truth of the Trescotte affair. My sus. picion was confirmed when, long before champagne, Mrs. Beestonmy, sworn crony of Mrs. Deekman, started the ball. A mention of the mystery only, was required to set the tongues in motion. All the old insinuations were repeated, and “ Airy” Sheffer, beau to the matrons present when they were young, and still beau to their daughters, detailed minutely the Swiss family story. So much attention did he receive, something unusual in his experience, that he was tempted to flights of fancy involving an interview with the paternal Swiss, but was deterred by something in the eyes of Tracey Harte, who watched him steadily. “ How nice,” commented Mrs. Trevor-Allen when “ Airy” Sheffer had completed his tale. ‘Why does Mr. Trescotte hesitate? I dote on bells. From that moment when my nurse took me to see a Swiss family of bell ringers, who made such CoOMmicbooks.c© 3}