A Struggle for a Ring — page 277: what you’re looking at

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

AILIE’S PROMISE. 273 things from your hands, If you were to kill me, I should bless you as I died. You might remove a mountain, stop the flow of the tide, tell the sun not to shine, bid the stars give no light, and all would be more easily done than my love could be changed or lessened.” He looked gravely at her. ‘*You think, then, Ailie, that you could suffer as Patient Griselda did?” ; “Tam quite sure,” she replied. ‘‘ Try me—only try me! I think I should love suffering for your sake—it would be so easy to bear. I should forget that it was pain if it were borne for you.” ‘*But, Ailie,” he said, ‘‘do you know that this is the very sublimity of love—the love that gives all and expects nothing in return? It is heroic love.” ‘Ts it?” she said, indifferently. ‘‘I do not know—I do not understand. It is the plain, honest, simple truth.” He looked greatly perplexed. ‘“Do you know,” he said, ‘‘that I would far rather—a thousand times rather—that you disliked me?” ‘*Would you?” she asked, wonderingly. ‘“Yes; because for all this great love of yours, I have nothing to give you,” he replied. ‘‘T do not want anything,” she said. ‘‘ But a man does not care to be outdone in generosity. It is as though you gave me some priceless jewel—some great, rich treasure, and _I have nothing to give you.” - «Ves, you have; you could make me happy with so little, Lord Carsdale—so little that you would be cruel to refuse it. I will ask you one favor, and if you grant that, I am repaid—mofe than repaid.” He dropped the little white hand that he had been hold- ‘l comicbooks. wet ‘ . > (> ( F - - « ss. e- * . > ‘i - _ ‘ “ ma 7 we OY OS ie