Weaker than a Woman — page 194: what you’re looking at

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

WEAKER THAN A WOMAN. = ——‘185 | was too noble to keep alive the memory of a woman so false. Eve knew him better. There were times when even a gallop over the breezy uplands did not set him straight, and then he would go over to the Outlands. “T have come to chat with you, Eve,” he would say. “Have you an hour to spare ?” Then one look at his face, at the shadowed eyes, would tell her that he was doing fierce battle with his foe. She would go into the pretty old-fashioned sitting-room, and, making him sit in a comfortable arm-chair, would talk to him. To herself she said often that it was like the laying of an evil spirit. She would read to him, converse with him, give him all the news she could. She knew, and he knew, why he was there, what ailed him, what old sorrow was crying aloud, what vain wild passion, what vain deep regret, was in his heart, but it was not discussed. She knew when her wise, sweet, tender words took effect; the shadow would fall from his face, and he would listen in silence. At times he would sit for an hour listen- ing, never speaking, and then rising with a brightened look that did her heart good, he would clasp her hand warmly in his own. “Thank you, Eve,” he would say to her; “I know best -what you have done for me.” Miss Lester was not very well pleased just then with her niece. Eve had received two good offers of marriage, and had refused them both; and, though Miss Lester disliked men, she had always a keen eye to the main chance, and said that if Eve refused one she ought to have taken tho other. She confided her grievance to Felix. “T wish,” she said, “that you would talk to her; you have known her so long—you are an old friend. Talk to her, ‘Felix; tell her how foolish it is to refuse every good offer.” “But I thought you disapproved of marriage, Miss Les- ter, and disliked men 2” “So I do—so I do, but I shall not live forever, and Eve must have some one to take care of her. Squire Hethway would have made her a good husband. Talk to her, Felix.” “T really do not like to speak to Eve on such a matter,” said Felix; “she might not like it. She must have had her own reasons for saying ‘No.’ ” “Reasons !” quoth Miss Lester. “She hasn’t any. —She is waiting until the man in the moon proposes to marry her, and I hope it will be soon.” Felix went away laughing, but he thought of Evelyn pe Gomilcbooks (G() m