A Struggle for a Ring — page 200: what you’re looking at

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

196 TO WIN A HUSBAND'S HEART. »While in her heart Alice prayed that the sisters she _ loved and cared for would never have a life marred by want of love, as hers was. CHAPTER XXVIII. TO WIN A HUSBAND'S HEART. Alice stood listening, her heart beating so fast that its rapid pulsations made her tremble; her lips paled, her eyes opened wide with a wistful look that was in itself all pain. Wonderful words were being spoken near her. As usual, she was spending the evening with Madame . -Roubart and Mrs, Howard. Madame was slightly anxious, and her faithful follower was desirous of knowing why. Then madame told her. She was so well known, and had so large a connection, that ladies who wanted .governesses and companions often asked her to choose for them. One had done so now-—no less a person than the Countess Waldrove of Roseneath, who wanted some young lady to live with her as companion. Mrs. Howard listened sym- pathizingly, as she always did. | ‘‘A companion!” she said. ‘‘Why, I thought the Countess of Waldrove had an unmarried daughter. ” ‘“So she has,” replied madame, who knew the peerage by heart; ‘‘ Lady Linda married the Duke of Claverdon ;. Lady Gertrude is not married yet.” - **Her beauty must be on the wane,” said Mrs. Howard. ‘No, not at all; on the contrary, I think her far better looking now than she was at the age of eighteen. You age Se comicbooks ‘i ; . | ~< , " . 3 * : ‘ ha