Vashti's Fate — page 182: what you’re looking at

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

ee te case AIG a PR Gn ern rr Ric er Re . 4 tis oh " ee coy 7) ‘ % . ¥; + < is TAN : ; vv yy Tha Sgt - Wie . 7 CHA NGE'S. 177 perplexity, and turning suddenly, seized both her hands, covering them with kisses, and saying : ‘“‘Forgive me; I cannot live under yen displeasure ; I cannot bear to be doubted.” ‘“‘T have not doubted you, Percy,” she answered, more kindly. ‘‘I shall, if you talk and behave as you did just now.” | “I was wrong, but I was so excited at the mere thought oi of your suspecting me, that I did not at all know what I - was about,” he answered, lifting his blue, heavy-lashed eyes to the face of the imperious beauty, with a wonderfully con- trite expression. z She smiled her rare smile at him, in token of forgiveness, ie and he said: “What did your aunt mean by saying I was not acting honestly by you?” a ‘Here she comes to answer for herself,” Vashti replied, a as Miss Gresham entered the room, followed by Miss Dale, fh looking considerably nonplussed. Mr. Dascomb could not for his life conceal his uneasi- ness, and he gave the ex-governess a fiery glance, that did not at all contribute to her self-possession. She answered him with a sullen look, and sat down in great apparent dis_ composure. Miss Gresham opened her eyes, as she saw : him, and took no further notice of him. | ‘<T wish you would tell Miss Everleigh here, what is the exact relation you bear to Mr. Percy Dascomb,” she said to Miss Dale, confronting that lady, tall, stern, and grim; ‘and you will please tell the truth this time.” Miss Dale was struck with the same perplexed thought a that had met Mr. Dascomb—how much did Miss Gresham a know? Bad and contemptible as she was, however, she = was shrewder than Mr. Percy, and was not the craven- > ; md, comicbooks.com