Vashti's Fate — page 250: what you’re looking at

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

e > ee , < 4 ~~ - , — a » ¢ a 7 difficulty, but still distinctly, and with a certain solemn em- phasis : ‘‘Solemnly, I believe that if you, any of you go down to that fate, it will be your own fault. You have an indom- itable will ; turn its strength, like a hand of iron, upon the throat of the demon temper that possesses you, and save yourselves, ”’ Vashti shook hee head, and with quickened step, leaving the party behind, went quietly away to her own room, They all gathered at the tea-table that evening, almost as if afraid of the companionship of their own apartments ; Nora with her pure, pale, peaceful face, Margery Gresham with her silent, changed manner, and with a visible stoop in her stern form since morning. <— Professor Thorpe was affable, conversational, but evi- dently disturbed under it all. Doctor Gracie, lively, ten- der, companionable, cheered the table also with his pres- ence. Frank was boisterously, painfully gay. In the sitting-room, after a little, they all met again, save Doctor Gracie. Vashti took her stand at the bay-window, which was open, looking forth into the starry summer night. She looked superbly beautiful to-night, and Professor ‘Thorpe thought, as he came into the room a little before the rest, that she had never worn the singular attraction that circled her always with a more resistless air than now. He came in and advanced hurriedly toward her. ‘“This is as it should be,” he said, eagerly, as he paused opposite her. ‘‘Vashti, I leave in the morning. After the word that incautidusly fell from my lips to-day, and in. spite of yourstern avowal that there was not a creature upon the face of the earth for which you would lift your hand, ASS Sas | ; = = comicboo REVELATIONS—DESPAIR. 245 S 7 mi (ele)