Vashti's Fate — page 224: what you’re looking at

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

A WOLF IN SHEEP’S CLOTHING. — 219 ‘‘In the servants hall? Why should she do that?” said Vashti, looking more like herself than before in weeks, ‘‘T trust you did not make her unwelcome in the dining- room ?” : ‘‘T had no opportunity to do so,” said Nora, quietly, though inwardly nettled at the censure implied in her sisters words, ‘‘She has never once entered the dining- room since—since mammas death,” she was about to say, but she changed it to ‘‘since Professor Thorpe has been here, though I have myself asked her to do so several times. I am incapable of treating any, even pretended friends of our family, in a rude manner.” Nora was sorry the next instant that that she had suffered herself to say ‘‘ pretended friends.” Vashti’s cheeks flushed warmly, and she said to Professor Thorpe : ‘The very best friend I ever had, sir, Miss Dale is, You have met her, I hope, somewhere else, if not in the dining-room ?” ‘‘Miss Dale—Miss Dale,” said Thorpe, half to himself ; it seems to me I have heard the name before, but I have not met the lady here; no.” } $ ‘‘She is one of Vashti’s pets,” said Frank, in a rather equivocal tone ; ‘‘no favorite of mine or Nora’s however. Don’t be vexed Vashti, but really the woman is a decided nuisance. One can't help their likes and dislikes,” he added, apologetically, as his sister’s face flushed still deeper with displeasure. Frank had never particularly liked or disliked Miss Dale till lately, when a conversation with Nora regarding ‘‘ poor mamma,” and Miss Dale’s influence over her, had some- what opened his eyes. Miss Dale, too, it had been discovered, was in possession of a very singular document, signed by Mrs. Everleigh— € com 900 — = ? - ° Fae. vie en } peer SEIT? ‘Ss co