A Struggle for a Ring — page 377: what you’re looking at

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

WATCHED. 493 beautiful, passionate face he knew sa well. To do him justice, he was startled and half shocked. ‘* Ailie,” he said, ‘‘in Heaven’s name, what has brought you here?” She raised her pure, fair face to his. ‘‘T have come to bring you my answer,” she said. ‘‘I have tried all day to give you this note, and I could not.” ‘My poor child,” he said, gently, ‘‘you should not have come here.” ‘*No one has seen me, no one knows,” she replied; ‘‘and I would not have come, but that I knew you were sO anxious over this answer; vour eyes asked me for it this evening; but I could not tell you, I had not one moment.” She was standing in the shadow of the door-way, and these words had passed in the most hurried whisper. She took the little note from her dress and gave it to him. He. was so agitated at seeing her, and she was so intently watching his face, that neither of them heard the slow opening of the door close to them and a cautious footstep. ‘This is my answer,” said Ailie; ‘‘and may Heaven bless you, my love—my love, I shall never repent.” He took the paper from her hands. ‘*Good-night, Ailie,” he said, quickly; ‘‘thank you for bringing me this. But, child, it was a terrible risk. Hasten back to your room, and pray Heaven that no one sees you.” He would not detain her even while he told her that he was going away in the morning; he was frightened and anxious for her sake—it was a terrible risk to have run; it showed her utter innocence, her simple, child-like faith, her simple guilelessness; but, all the same, he wished that she had not done it. I Gomme JOO cS (E(0) m