Vashti's Fate — page 272: what you’re looking at

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

BANKRUPT, BODY AND SOUL. 267 He spoke with great difficulty ; every word seemed to pain him, and Dr. Gracie, turning away, walked to the window, smothering a groan. Dr. Gracie stood at the window a little, and then coming back to his patient, talked cheeringly with him a few minutes, asked some more questions and examined into his general symptoms, and leaving some simple medicines, went out into the hall. Nora followed him, voiceless with emotion, but an elo- quence of questioning in her eyes. He took her hands in his, saying, sadly, ‘‘ He can’t live, Nora,” answering her mute questioning. Her face dropped instantly to her hands, but she soon lifted it, saying ; ‘He must know it, sir; indeed he must be told. He must not die without any warning.” Dr. Gracie looked at her sorrowfully. _ **Tt will be hard making him believe it, Nora.” ‘<T know, I know, but there is all the more reason he should be told, and by you, for he will be more apt to be- lieve you.” ‘‘Well, well, watch your chance, and if you can catch him in the right mood, tell him, if not I will tell him to- morrow, when I come.” : Frank’s jealous eye caught the sorrowful and changed expression of the faces round him. Vashti had reluctantly come back into the room, because hé asked for her, but: it was impossible for her to keep out of her countenance the \ shock she had received at sight of his death-struck face. - He looked sharply from one to another, and-then said, querulously : “You all look as though you thought somebody was going to die—don’t look at me in that long-drawn way. EComicboo ‘S CO