Weaker than a Woman — page 94: what you’re looking at

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

WEAKER THAN A WOMAN. Bets Sra ‘< and make you mine. - [will throw everything to the winds if you will only say the word.” The pale, beautiful girl shrank from him. “T cannot,” she said— you know that I cannot—I must marry Felix Lonsdale.” “T could kill him !” muttered Sir Owen, under his breath, with an oath. Aloud he said, “You shall never marry him.” She shrank still farther from him, and cried aloud, and then he was full of remorse—he tried his best to comfort her. “Listen to me, Violet,” he said, and once more she raised her beautiful face to his. “Forgive me—I am more ac- customed to shouting at men than to pleading with ladies. Do not think I am so cruel—why should I kill him? Do not tremble so—I shall never forgive myself.” She tried to conquer the fear that had mastered her; she stilled the trembling of her hands, the wild beating of her heart. He spoke more gently to her. “T am more than half a savage,” he said. “I am ashamed of myself. How different I should be if I had a gentle, beautiful girl like you near me! Ishould grow civilized. Now, Violet, listen to me. You shall not give me your an- swer now—not yet for many days; but Ido pray you to be my wife. Do not look at me and say you cannot—you can if you will. Such promises as yours are broken every day. I will not let you give me an answer until you have thought the matter well over: Look round you once more, Violet—look at this stately home, this broad - domain—think of yourself as its miustress—mistress of Garswood Hall and forty thousand a year. As Lady Chevenix—how well the name sounds!—as Lady Chevenix, I say, you would be queen of the whole county, you would be one of the most popular and wealthy women in England. You will have the world at your feet. I will buy you the most magnificent diamonds—indeed, every- thing that women like best. You shall be surrounded by every luxury that the world can give, if you will only say ‘yes.’ ” “I cannot,” she murmured, but her voice was weaker and fainter this time, and he noticed the change. ~ “T will not accept your answer yet,” he returned. “But now look at the other side of the picture. You marry this man who is under a cloud, he takes you to some wretched — little home, he works day and night, yet can hardly get _ money enough for his expenses; you spend the prime of cComicbooks (ale)