A Struggle for a Ring — page 300: what you’re looking at

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

296 A TRYING POSITION, “Ves,” replied Ailie; ‘‘I think I will take the book to. my own room, and do it there.” The thought that crossed Lady Ethel’s mind was—why had she not done that an hour before? ‘Then her /e/e-a-deZe with Lord Carsdale need not have been interrupted. In Ailie’s gentle heart there was just the least possible sensa- tion of pleasure, that for once she had, in a mute kind of wav, asserted her rights. She wrote out her quotations, made a general review of the book, quickly found all that would be needful, then went to the countess with it. Lady Gertrude was in the room, talking to her mother, and Ailie waited until their interview was ended. ‘‘VYou have done what I wished, I see, Miss Derwent,” said the countess. ‘‘Now I must impress upon you not to let me forget the quotations. Begin this—‘ Let my fair life,’ first. I rather like that, and it will please the poet.” Then the ring of horse’s hoofs was heard in the court- yard below, and the countess went to the window. A sudden, hot impulse of jealous anger prompted Ailie to follow her, and her ladyship did not resent what at another time she would have resented as a liberty. Ai{lie’s instinct had not misled her—there was Lady Ethel, looking more beautiful than ever in her riding-habit of dark blue cloth, and Lord Carsdale, with her, was looking to see if every- thing was safe and ready for her to mount. Then Ailie watched her husband as he helped Lady Ethel to mount. What was that shining in his handsome face, in his dark eyes? What was it that reflected in Lady Ethel’s face made her look so unutterably happy? “*T call that a touching picture,” said the countess, lan- guidly. ‘‘ They make a very handsome pair—do they not, Miss Derwent?” Her very lips grew white as she tried to * Ps Beet cn hf ete) | _ comicbooks. ee ra 1 ~ ~*~. \ S ' “as . ae ~ wok 5 tw. ae ae »