Violet Lisle — page 18: what you’re looking at

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

2 GUY DARLINGTON. Ta a Violet would have given anything to have answered the. = promptings of her heart, and said yes to his question, but ; she stifled the desire, and looked at handsome, winning — Guy Darlington bravely and earnestly. . “It is better to be honest with you, Lord Darlington, see she said. ‘“‘My father isa poor man. Of as good blood — as your own, he would tell you; but so poor that he has hidden himself in this little village, to be away from his kind. He would not welcome your coming, and he would be made unhappy by it. IT am sorry, for l would have © been glad.” In all his life among the beauties of Ragland and of the gay centers of Kurope, Guy Darlington had seen nothing like the wondrous beauty and charm of this pure and noble young creature who said to him so frankly and in- nocently that she would have liked to know him if it had been possible. He could not have told why he revolted against the fate that would prevent his ever seeing her again; but he knew that he could not let it be so. “But that is cruel,” he exclaimed, “and I will not sub- mit to it.” She looked at him wonderingly, and a little thrill of happiness. which she did not comprehend, stole over her. ‘“Why,” he went on, vehemently, “should you and I not know each other? It may be very little to you, but to Sh I He suddenly stopped, aware that he was saying strange things, considering the brief time of their acquaintance. She was too unconventional, too unconscious of the nature of her own heart-throbs to realize all that his vehement words meant, and she answered his broken sentence with a sweet gravity : “Tt is not very little to me, Tord Darlington. I> would like so much to know you; but don’t you see that it can- not be? My ancestry is as good as yours, the name is un- stained ; but we are of the branch that has nothing but the name and the blood, and we can never mingle with you, because we are poor. To try to bring it about would be to cause misery to my father.” ‘J do not wish that,” said Guy, with an unmistakable earnestness. ‘‘Then Iam not to call? It shall be as you sav; but at least you do not regret saving my life?” Violet smiled, but she was thinking of the strangeness of the fate that had puta sordid barrier of senbind be- tween the acquaintance of two persons, who themselves