Vashti's Fate — page 246: what you’re looking at

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

REVELATIONS—DESPATIR. 241 she knew that the malady of his house was about to over- take him, she vowed to devote herself to saving his chil- dren from his doom. I suspect that she had a hard time ofit. Have you appreciated her, Vashti?” Do you realize now that this woman ( Margery Gresham burst in upon him. ‘‘Not another word,” she said; ‘‘not another word. I)r. Gracie, I meant to do, but, Heaven forgive me, I have not done. I said I would warn them, but I have done it in such a manner as to render my warning null. I ought to have known that I was not fit, of all others, to show them the rock upon which their father stranded.” She paused. Vashti was sternly silent. Nora, as she stood by Frank’s side, lifted her aunt's cold hand and kissed it. Margery Gresham flung her arm about her, and drew her to her. ‘‘See, Vashti,” she said, eagerly, ‘‘she loves me. I have one here.to love me.” | ‘‘Because you loved her,” Vashti answered, shaking her head. “But I loved you, too, Vashti. Vashti, melt from your gloom, and say one kind word to me.” Vashti looked in a dreary, half-bewildered manner about her. “‘T would say it if I could, I will say it if I can, but there is no atom of kindness left in me. I feel bitter toward the whole world. This moment there is not a creature I love in all the wide creation—for which I would lift my hand.” Margery Gresham did not seem the same woman, so greatly had the last few hours changed her. She crossed the room to Vashti, wringing her hands, and saying in a low voice, so hoarse with emotion that the rest did not hear her ; cS comicboo CO. mm ;