A Struggle for a Ring — page 117: what you’re looking at

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

A MOTHER'S STRATAGEM. 113 ‘¢ How well I understand him,” she thought. ‘‘ How well I can manage him.” | ‘‘What did you tell him, Gertrude?” she asked. ‘Just the plain truth, mamma. Did I do right?” ‘‘Certainly, my dear; truth is always right. You told him that we met the Pierponts this year in London, and that we were charmed with them—above all, with Lady Ethel ?” | ‘‘T told him that exactly, mamma. He asked mea hundred questions about Lady Ethel, her age, who admired her, whom she liked, what people said of her, and more questions than I could remember if I tried.” ‘‘Did he?” said my lady. ‘‘ That is strange.” | Lady Gertrude made no comment; it was not the custom to comment upon what the countess said. She smiled again when that evening she saw her son come quietly from the morning-room. She knew quite well that he had been to take one more glance at the beautiful face of Lady Ethel Pierpont. ‘«The spell is working,” thought the countess; ‘‘I shall have the wish of my heart after all; my daughters will marry well, and my son—my noble, handsome Vivian— will marry the heiress of the Pierponts; every mother in England will envy me.” ! : She was quite right in her ideas; it was to visit the pict- ure once more that he had gone into her room, for the face haunted him. Hecould not forget it—the fatal, bewitch- ing beauty; the fair, fresh young loveliness; the proud, sweet, frank, fearless eyes; the lovely laughing lips and dimpled chin. He went again and again to look at it. Of course it was only a picture—he knew that; he only admired it as a work of art. This royal young beauty was not for him—they would want a royal wooer for her; and © _— eo) Eomicbooks.