A Struggle for a Ring — page 341: what you’re looking at

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

“J WOULD DIE TO FREE YOU.” 337 CHAPTER L. ‘“¥ WOULD DIE TO FREE YOU.” Lord Carsdale was very unhappy as he paced uneasily to and fro on the western terrace that evening. He said to himself that, even had he sinned most terribly, he could not have been more terribly penished: ‘< Yet, I was only imprudent,” he said to himself; ‘‘I did not willfully do wrong; I acted from a mad sense of honor; and if I had been of all men the most deficient in honor, I could not gel brought upon myself or others more fatal consequences. ” He could not bear the thought of having made Lady Ethel suffer; he could not endure the thought that he must break Ailie’s heart. ‘*It seems cowardly to wish that I had never been born,” he said to himself; ‘‘but it is true; or I wish that my life had been something very different to what it is.” He re-entered the house. The night was dark, for the moon was not in a gracious mood, and would not shine. From out of the strange shadows he saw a slender, girlish fizure come cautiously ; then again his hand was taken by the soft, white hands—he knew none so well—and warm, soft lips touched them. He knew that Ailie, his wife, had followed him to say one word to him. ‘IT was so happy to-day,” she said, ‘‘ because I had that glove of yours to mend. How little makes some people quite content. I feel as though I had won a king- dom when I have the chance of doing some little thing for you.” Ss ; : ECOmIE JOO co