A Struggle for a Ring — page 391: what you’re looking at

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

“7 WILL SUFFER FOR HIM.” 387 will not impose upon me. _ I have heard it all. You have been seen to follow my son to the grounds, and last night you were seen coming from his room. I—I make no comment. No virtuous woman cou/d on such a state of things. ” She paused, hoping fora reply. None came. She continued ; ‘Tf I had liked you less, I should have cared less, But I have liked you very much, and have trusted you. You have basely deceived me. Some people, when anything of this kind occurs, blame the man and shield the girl. J do not. I know that young men will be young men to the end of the world; and I know that every girl can take care of herself if she will. I know still more—that.my son is a gentleman, and that you must have thrown yourself - in his way; you must have sought him—he would never seek you. Have you anything to say?” The calm of the beautiful white face was unbroken. Over and over again, in her heart, Ailie was saying to herself : ‘‘God knows! God knows! I need not fear. God knows !” Aloud she said: ‘©No, Lady Waldrove; not one word.” ‘“You did not delude yourself so far as to believe that my son intends to marry you, I hope. King Co- phetua and Lord Burleigh do not live in these days. You have not deluded yourself so far, I hope?” ‘‘T have not deluded myself at all, Lady Waldrove,” was the gentle answer. | | ‘‘T am indignant for my son’s sake,” said Lady Wal- drove. ‘‘It is simply horrible that a gentleman cannot come home even to his father’s house without being drawn gS) (6 @) (E(0) mn G ool)