A Struggle for a Ring — page 22: what you’re looking at

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

18 A MEETING, AND A PROMITSE. of voices, and she was shut up, as she said to herself, like an early Christian martyr. The next day dawned in the same dreary fashion; but there was hope coming—an incident was to happen which proved how the very best laid plans of men are often all in vain. No one, except Mrs. Chawner and the servants, knew that the doctors niece had arrived. The doctor went out that day at noon to call upon a gentleman in the neighborhood who wished to see him; Mrs. Chawner was busy preserving fruit; and, as ill-luck would have it, Lord Vivian Carsdale, in doing something or other which he need not have done, cut two of his fingers rather severely ; equally, as a matter of course, there was’no plaster to be found. ‘Never mind,” said Lord Vivian to one of his com- panions; ‘‘I will go to the housekeeper’s room. Mrs. Chawner always keeps a store of those things.” Without a thought that he was going to his fate, with- out dreaming of all that would ensue from that one visit, he went and knocked at the door; a sweet, clear, musical voice bade him enter. Wondering, full of amaze, he went in; and in place of Mrs. Chawner, he saw one of the most beautiful girls in the world. Tall, graceful, and slender; a figure all graceful curves and lines, full of sym- metry; a face perfect in its fresh, fair, girlish loveliness; bright blue eyes, like bright stars, looked up into his, and the two stood looking at each other in silence. Alice saw a dark, handsome face, with patrician written on every feature; a tall, well-built figure; dark, beautiful eyes; a handsome mouth, shaded by a dark mustache; and Alice’s - simple, girlish heart went out in admiring awe. ‘| beg pardon,” said the gentleman; ‘‘I thought Mrs, Chawner’was here.” — - micbooks ve ef ‘= - e ra r ti ft ’ i. P 4 ‘~. 4 *