Stella Rosevelt — page 186: what you’re looking at

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

180 EXPLANATIONS. acquaintance, and asked in return for something to keep in memory of her. I did not know that I should ever meet her again, and had I not done so, the remembrance of what I had enjoyed in her society would eventually have become, it is probable, but 4 pleasant episode of the past, although I must confess that her face haunted me continually. ‘‘But I did meet her again, and only a very short time ago. She had changed—developed into even greater beauty, and had become more mature, and I began to realize at once that I had even a deeper interest in her than I had imagined possible. Subsequent interviews—for I took pains to see her often—and the study of her character, convinced me that I had found the woman whom I could love with all my heart, and whom I should win for my wife if I could.” A rustling of the drapery at the open window just then made the young lord pause; but hearing nothing more, he thought the wind had simply stirred the curtains, and continued: ‘‘Within a very few days I have brought things to a crisis— have, in fact, asked and secured a promise from her to become my wife as soon as she shall have completed her education, and I had intended to-morrow to seek an interview with her friends and make formal proposals for her hand. ‘“This may sound rather strange to you, knowing my posi- tion, and realizing something of the prejudice of the English - against marrying outside the pale of their own rank. But I was convinced from the first that this young girl was of good blood and parentage, and upon a more intimate acquaintance with her, I have learned that her mother was an English lady from an excellent family. ‘‘Now, what I have to tell you,” Lord Carrol continued, with a smile, ‘‘has a slight touch of romance connected with it. When I left England, 1 came away known as Sir Archibald Sherbrooke, baronet. Two months after my arrival here, I was notified of the death of my mother’s only brother—Lord Carrol, Gomicbooks-co