Violet Lisle — page 75: what you’re looking at

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

4 p AVES SS ea ee +.* 7 ¥e ea ee + DEALING THE BLOW. 69 realized that her shrinking was not due to the natural shyness of a maiden in the presence of a stranger, but was the result of another and deeper emotion. He looked into her eyes, and before they fell before his he saw in them an agony that caused him to turn almost with fierceness to the marquis, saying, peremptorily : “Lord Coldenham, what is your errand here?” It has been said that the man of the world held Guy in no little contempt for what he was pleased to call his weakness—meaning his lack of vices; but at this moment he saw something in the eyes of the younger man that sent an uncomfortable thrill through him, and made him - realize that his task was even more unpleasant than he had anticipated. “T am here to do you a friendly office, Guy,” he answered. ‘I thank you most heartily, my lord,” said Guy, coldly, “for your kindness. Pray tell me what your errand is.’ “Certainly, Guy; but it were better if we were alone. If the young lady would retire——” Violet made a feeblv frantic effort to free herself from the encircling arm of her lover, but with an instinctive feeling of something .being wrong he refused to release her, saying: “It is unnecessary, quite unnecessary. Remain with me, Violet.” “Let me go, Guy, let me go,” she panted, thinking that if she could but get away from him, and out of the imme- diate influence of his loved presence, she would fly where he could not reach her, where she could not witness the agony she knerv he would suffer. “No, my darling, you must not go. Lord Coldenham, I have but little time to listen to you, and you had better speak quickly.or postpone what you have to say until I have made this lady my wife.” “The lady will never be your wife, Guy,” said Lord Coldenham. Violet had now freee herself from Guy’s restraining -arm. She had not left the room, however, for. he stood between her and the door. She had caught the back of a chair, and was supporting herself by it, or her strength would have been insufficient to sustain her weight. At Lord Coldenham’s ominous words Guy flashed a glance at Violet, and another at Lord Coldenham. He did not ask the meaning of the words : ‘What have you been saying to her, Lord Coldenham k