Thrice Wedded, but Only Once a Wife — page 170: what you’re looking at

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

THRICE WEDDED. se 161 and its paraphernalia were all in readiness, but when the time came the bride was missing. Every vault and passage was explored, but without suc- cess, until at last her body was found floating in the sea. ‘She had found a passage leading to it, and had cast her- — self into it rather than become the bride of such a wretch. Poor Dora! po wonder her heart shrunk within her at this sad story. But she would gladly have followed the unfortunate lady’s example had the oppor tunity of- fered. Only once did she betray the slightest interest about her apparel, and that was when Nina placed a very large casket before her, and opening it, began to fasten the elegant jew- els which lay within it upon her person. Then for a few moments her eye brightened at beholding so much magnificence. There were bracelets, ear-rings and necklace; a coronet with which to fasten the vail, from which hung graceful and delicate pendants; little tassels and ornaments to loop up the long, full skirt; a pair of dainty slippers, embroid- ered in strange devices with the same costly gems, and a girdle for the waist, from which depended two superb tas- _ gels, one before, and one behind, and which outrivaled any- thing that our heroine’s most. brilliant imagination had ever pictured. Madam Alroyd, even through her tears, could not help exclaiming: — *Oh, how lovely!’ as Nina clasped the last ernamen: in its place, and stepped back to note the effect. She then gently led the fair girl before a full length mir- ror, and entreated her to look. - Dora raised her said, lovely eyes, and gazed upon her re- flected image, and realized for'an instant that she was in- deed surpassingly beautiful; but with a shudder she covered her face with her white-gloved hands. “Oh, Robbie! Robbie!’ she exclaimed, as the extent of her shattered hopes rushed over her. With unsteady steps she walked to a chair, upon which she sat, with clasped hands and a stony heart, walting for the fatal summons. It came before she was aware of it. A curtain noiselessly swung aside, and Ralph Moulton ebtered, : “S (ele) comicboo