A Struggle for a Ring — page 396: what you’re looking at

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

Ly ‘‘T should never say that in any case, Lady Waldrove, for I should never go to sin,” she replied. ‘J will undertake, in order to save my son—only to save my son, to give you, at any time you may write to me for help, to give it to you; but it is on condition that you sign this paper.” ‘‘What paper, Lady Waldrove?” asked Ailie, wonder- - ingly. Then the countess took a paper from the desk. _**JT knew what I had to contend with,” she said, ‘‘and I have prepared accordingly. I will read this paper to you.” The countess unfolded it with great state and majesty; Lady Gertrude listened with sympathy, of which she was half afraid, half ashamed—Ailie with unmitigated wonder. Lady Waldrove began : ‘‘T, Ailie Derwent, in the presence of the Countess of Waldrove and Lady Gertrude Carsdale, state clearly and _ distinctly that I make no claim whatever upon Lord Cars- ‘dale, and that I undertake never tc make one.” ‘‘Will you sign this paper, Miss Derwent?” asked the — countess. ‘*No, Lady Waldrove, I would rather die. To sign it, would be to suppose myself capable of making such a ~ claim, which I am not.” _ Lady Waldrove looked, as she felt, slightly surprised at ~ the tone of the answer. “You have proved yourself capable of so much,” she said, ‘‘I may be pardoned for presuming you to be capable of more. If you refuse that, you will not perhaps refuse to promise me that you will seek no communication what- ever with my son—that you will neither write to him, send — messages to him, or ever see him again?” Th. — (ef o} al > i. comicbooks he's , oY