Weaker than a Woman — page 152: what you’re looking at

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

WEAKER THAN A WOMAN. ~~ 143 of diamonds, my dear, not hearts—as whist players say, diamonds are trumps.” But sleep had gone from Violet; she watched the skies until morning dawned, and more than once, although she was Lady Chevenix of Garswood, one of the wealthiest women in England, she wished that it were all undone, and that she was Violet Haye again. On that same night Lady Maude and Lord Arlington talked long and earnestly. She told him the story that she had heard, and asked him for help. He thought long over it. “IT know of one way in which I can help him, Maude,” he said, ‘‘but that will require consideration.” Then he said a few words in a low voice. She clasped her hands. “Will you do that, papa?” she interrogated. ‘‘That would be one of the grandest things in the world. I shall be so pleased—far more pleased than at any good fortune which could happen to myself.” | ‘‘T will think of it,” replied Lord Arlington, and when he spoke in the tone that he did then his daughter knew that he was determined to accomplish what he had in view. CHAPTER XX VII. A TRUE NOBLEMAN. There was great excitement in the town of Lilford. As one man said to another, they might alway expect some- thing strange when the earl came home; but this was stranger than all. The earl’s tenants, and every man in Lilford with whom he did business of any kind, received an invitation to dine with the earl at the ‘‘Bramber Arms.” The **‘Bramber Arms” was the chief hotel in Lilford. It boasted of a large assembly room, where the county balls and the hunt balls were all given. It was the very strong- hold and fortress of the aristocracy of ‘the neighborhood, and its resources were wonderful. The dinner to the ten- ants was to be served in the assembly room. People called it a rent dinner, such as the earl generally gave to his ten- ants once a year; but they agreed that there was something more init than that, or why were so many bidden who were not tenants? Why were the doctors, the vicar, and every other person with whom the earl had any business relations asked, and many more besides? ‘The earl, it was remarked, rode or drove through Lilford almost every day, 1) (G0) (e(oy payKel exoKo) .<s