A Silver Brand — page 43: what you’re looking at

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

A SILVER BRAND. JO “ And when it is fulfilled, we shall have lost Lina, oh, we shall have lost Lina from our midst.” “There it is again!” retorted Theodosia. “You will all bear witness how often I have reproved Penelope for forgetting who Lina really is; I warned you against setting your affections upon her as you might have done with an ordinary child. Again and again I have warned you. Don’t blame me if you suffer from it now.” “| don’t blame you, Theodosia,” returned Penel- ope, huskily. “Ido not know as you could help me if you had the will. The child has crept very Closely into my heart, and I cannot let her go with- out a pang.” Ae “Of course that is natural. I love her myself, but I have constantly schooled myself to be prepared for a separation. To be sure we did not expect it for three years longer, yet what real difference does it make since the trial finally comes?” “Three years! ah, three years seem so long beside - afew months,” answered Penelope. “'They are long enough, perhaps—who knows—for me to die in,” she added, under her breath. : “It will be a dreary place here without her bright ee, said Urbanus, ruefully. “We shouldn’t stay ere.’ : “ Ay, you needn’t be too hard on Penelope, Theo- ~ dosia; your heart is not so tender as hers, nor mine either, but it gives mea sharp twinge to think of losing her,” added Paul. “Think of our father’s dying injunction. Think of having faithfully fulfilled this trust he and our noble patron gave to us,” retorted Theodosia, warm- ing up at this opposition. “Besides, does not she go to a grand and enviable station, and cannot you love her there? What foolish sentimentality. 1 long to enjoy her astonishment and delight when she knows it all, Iam glad the time is shorter than we expected.” Penelope did not say any more. She sat there very still and silent, looking out of the window. She turned around slowly, however, when she heard the click of the sliding brass rings, as Theodosia’s cS Eo Gomicboo