Vashti's Fate — page 251: what you’re looking at

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

so ot Me PROF 4 > ie pee fk ie Pe) Oe ls Meet tte P ae deli = .% sy. Pt» Yr, G. gtr ye) * tong { i ee e *# -s - + ng Aa Mila eat, ' PE et al Buse oe 2. A 246 REVELATIONS—DESPAIR. I am still dotard enough to.venture to say to you, Vashti Everleigh, I love you. Vashti, will you be my wife ?” There was no flush in her cheek, no quiver in her voice, as she answered : ‘‘] am sorry, sir; it would be madness in you to cher- ish such an idea. If I said yes to your prayer, by to-mor- row night you would curse the bond that bound you to me. You would—don’t interrupt me. I can save you from any such regret, however. I say now, as I said be- fore, there is not in all the world a creature for which I would lift my hand.” ‘“This is, no doubt, your present momentary convic- tion ; you will think differently when the feeling that to- day’s occurrences have roused have had time to cool,” he said, returning to his usual composed demeanor, for Nora had just entered the room. ‘‘T shall never think any differently from what I do now on this subject. Let us drop it, if you please, sir.” He bowed, with a somewhat flushed face, and presently crossed the room to where Nora sat. The grave and learned professor's dignity had received a cruel blow. An instant after Frank came in at the open window, and flinging from his broad, white brow the jetty curls, held out his hands to Vashti, with what attempted to be a de- fant smile. She clasped his hands with her own, looked a moment in his unhappy eyes, and said : ‘‘At least we shall go together, Frank—-you and fcopill dare our fate; and we will never submit—never! Let us live while we may; and when we feel the worst is coming, we will show them that we can at least die bravely, and cheat this wolfish doom of its prey. Is it a bargain, Frank ?” ' oy x? ' ; t,he ; yates ig eh Sy | . wt Ok) he) Sg a en le ee oe OR i ee hee Ds es ee Te 2