A Struggle for a Ring — page 330: what you’re looking at

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

326 A WIFE’S HOPE. flush hotly, and a quiver of pain pass over it. Her heart beat as she saw it. ‘“He loves me,” she said. ‘‘ He is not indifferent to me, or he would not look so.” ‘‘Ves, I remember it, Lady Ethel,” he replied, in a low voice. ‘“Do you remember that we walked down to the sea? We had a strange desire to say good-by there. Do you re- member how the stars shone and the waves murmured on the shore ?” ‘‘Tt is not likely that I should forget, Lady Ethel,” he replied. ‘«Nor have I forgotten,” she continued ; ‘‘you said you should think of me every time you saw the sea. Have you done so?” | ‘‘Ves, I have,” he replied, in a low, pained voice. ‘You called me your dream by the sea. I should so much like to ask you a question, Lord Carsdale.” ‘‘Ask me anything you will, Lady Ethel,” he replied. She was silent fora moment; her beautiful face drooped ; all the sweet, noble impulse of her womanhood rose in re- _ bellion against the question she was going to ask—but, she must know. She had waited for five long years in suspense —loving him, and him alone—living for him, and him alone. Her face flushed, and he saw her lips trembled. ‘‘ What is the question, Lady Ethel?” he asked. ‘‘ Surely you can have no fear over anything that you wish to say to me. Weare old friends, tried friends, true friends. ” ‘‘T have no fear,” she said, proudly. ‘‘I want to ask you this question. You remember all that you said to me on that evening? I—lI should like to ask you if you care less for me now than you did then?” She gained courage bs om Eomicbooks.: