A Struggle for a Ring — page 333: what you’re looking at

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

A WIFE’S HOPE. 329 What must he do! It seemed to him that two courses lay open to him—either he must tell Lady Ethel the truth and avow his love for his wife, or he must seek a legal separa- tion from the girl who bore his name. Just as he reached this point in his thoughts, he heard a light footstep, anda gentle voice said: ‘* Lord Carsdale !” The next moment two soft hands had clasped his, and, looking down, he saw the fair young face of his wife. She knelt on the green sward by his side, ‘‘Do not be angry with me,” she said, in a sweet, low voice. ‘‘I will not stay one moment, but I could not rest until I had been to thank you for your kindness,” Then with her warm, sweet lips she kissed the hand that she held in her own. ‘¢ What kindness,” he said, too startled to remember to what she alluded—‘‘ what kindness have I shown you, poor child ?” ‘‘A great deal,” she answered, raising her face, so beau- tiful in its passionate love, to his, ‘‘A great deal, Lord Carsdale. You interfered when you thought I was tired, and you brought me an ice-cream. Do you know that ice-cream seemed to me far too precious to eat. I could not make up my mind to touch it. I could not rest either without coming to thank you. When you speak kindly to me, or look kindly at me, I feel as a flower must feel when the sun shines full on it. JI have not three minutes to spare—Lady Waldrove will be waiting for me. _ ‘¢ Lord Carsdale,” she continued, ‘‘you will not be angry if I tell you something—it is but a foolish trifle. I have heard the story of Patient Griselda, and I could almost be- lieve that it was written purposely for me—and I—you will not think me vain or presumptuous? ’ ° Eomicboo (E(@)