A Struggle for a Ring — page 286: what you’re looking at

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

= ™\. , p tare 2, -".* -y - > oe , -_ : : . o.* .*s . 282 AN EMBARRASSING SITUATION. complied obediently enough. For the morning she wore a plain high dress of some pretty gray material, in the evening a richer dress of gray silk, with her favorite silver fringe. If Lady Waldrove had purposely chosen a Style that she thought suitable for the enhancing of Ailie’s beauty, she could have selected nothing better than the soft, pearly gray-—the soft folds that showed every graceful line and’ - curve of that beautiful figure, the subdued tint that placed in such glorious contrast the lovely pearly coloring of the face and the snowy whiteness of the neck. Ailie had been tired from want of sleep, but the morning air had given to _her the most delicate and dainty bloom. Lady Waldrove lay in her most picturesque and languid attitude ; the twin dogs had evidently resolve@ upon making the most of a fine day—they had placed themselves in dif- ferent attitudes of comfort; and Ailie sat patiently with a, volume of Mrs. Mary J. Holmes’, waiting the countess’ pleasure. It was quite suddenly that the door opened, and Lord Carsdale entered. ‘The light that came through the rose- colored blinds was so subdued he did not at first see Ailie, He went up to his mother and kissed her, then started as he saw the golden head and fair face at her side. Lady Waldrove saw him start and mistook the cause. ‘‘You know my companion, Miss Derwent?” she said, carelessly. ‘‘You need not stand upon ceremony. Do not leave the room, Miss Derwent. I want you to get this pattern right for me, if you can.” Ailie took up the intricate piece of fancy work and went over to the window. She heard the countess say, in a low voice, to her son: ‘You need never stand upon any kind of ceremony oe Comic 900ks.com < P ., . a 7 > . = —_ .