Stella Rosevelt — page 381: what you’re looking at

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

STELLA’S MENTAL AGONY. 375 her own future looked like a weary journey, marked only by the mile-stones of duty, without a stage of happiness to cheer her along the way. She had known nothing of the Richardses coming abroad: that notice of Josephine’s marriage had keen the first indies tion that she had had of it. She wondered if she had not sent her that paper—if, having seen their names and address registered at the American Lega- tion, she had not, from a spirit of cruel triumph, sent it to wound and humiliate her. Yes, she was sure it must be so. But she should never know how fully her vile purpose had been accomplished. She would hide her anguish deep within her own heart. Wherever she went she would appear with a bright face and smiling lips, and no one should dream that her heart lay like a withered thing in her bosom. Mr. Rosevelt came in to see her several times during the day, and she always smiled and told him she was resting so as to be fresh for the evening. Mrs. Blunt tried to make her give up the reception, but she would not, protesting that she was as well as ever, although she could not hide her misery quite so effectually from that good woman’s sharp eyes. ‘‘Something has happened to upset her and break her heart again, or I’m much mistaken,” she muttered, uneasily, while, according to Star's direction, she laid out her elegant dress for the evening. She had learned to read that fair young face too plainly not to feel sure that something very unusual had occurred to pros- trate her so. Nine o'clock came, and Star Gladstone, a vision of bewilder- ing beauty, entered the drawing-room of the United States Minister’s elegant residence, leaning on the arm of her distin- guished-looking attendant. Gomichbooks.e