A Struggle for a Ring — page 219: what you’re looking at

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

~ A “SOCIETY” HOME. 215 went will not turn out a failure; I really do not like invalids.” | ‘There is not much fear,” said her husband; ‘‘the sun is warm, and she had been out in it for some time.” Neither of them dreamed of connecting her sudden illness with their son’s portrait. What would they have said had they even ever so faintly guessed the truth? CHAPTER XXXI. A “*SOCLETY™~ HOME: Lady Waldrove was reading a letter that seemed to give her some satisfaction. When it was finished she placed it on the table. Floss at once knocked it down; Castor and Pollux commenced to fight over it; the countess looked on with a dreamy smile, ‘‘T am not quite sure,” she said, ‘‘that my little: pets must have that letter. It is from my daughter, Lady Ger- trude; she returns this week.” It was a pretty home picture—the light, beautiful room was flooded with sunlight, the air was warm with the odor of flowers ; there was a musical ripple from the little foun- tain that stood in the midst of the white hyacinths. The countess, in her costly morning-wrapper, with her pretty, picturesque head-dress of white Mechlin lace, lay on her favorite couch; Ailie, looking the very ideal of youth and fair loveliness, sat reading to her. ‘There had been many -interruptions—a cup of fragrant cocoa, such as the count- ess dearly loved; then letters, and this one letter had pleased the haughty, dainty lady. She had grown so ac- 4 f : (Ge) Eomicboo cS