A Struggle for a Ring — page 231: what you’re looking at

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

COMING HOME. 227 | Ethel Pierpont has been the chief subject of conversation with us for many days past.” Lady Ethel gave a beautiful, well-pleased smile. ‘They are very fond of me at Roseneath,” she said, ‘and I return the compliment.” She was far more free and familiar in her manner with Alice than was Lady Gertrude; yet here was the same im- perceptible something, the same shade of manner that ex- pressed so clearly and so forcibly the distance between them that nothing could bridge over, nothing could Jessen. And that was Alice’s first introduction to the beautiful weman with whom she was to struggle for a ring. © CHAPTER XXXIILI. COMING HOME. Several other visitors arrived the next day; among them was the Marquis of Keemes, one.of the most eligible men in England—young, good-looking, after a sturdy Saxon — style, wealthy, and generous. Already most of the mat- rons in Belgravia had taken a kindly interest in him; they had most considerately advised him to marry while he was young, and many of the Belgravian belles had kindly given him an opportunity of ranging himself in the or- derly ranks of married men. But the marquis was wary ; he had never had but one love; he never intended to have another; he had given his heart, soul, mind, and entire love to Lady Ethel Pierpont. She had tcld him it was useless—that she did not love him-—that she should never Eomicbooks..