The Widowed Bride — page 160: what you’re looking at

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

THE WIDOWED BRIDE. 151 with the slightest tendency to weakness of the lungs, isn’t it, Poynings?” ‘Indeed, Lady Glenhampton, Captain Evelyn is right,” said the lawyer, smoothly, as he proffered his arm. “But you are coming back, Ernest,” said Lady Glen- hampton, anxiously. ‘Presently, as soon as I have smoked my cigar out! Au revoir!” and Captain Evelyn waved his hand gayly to his mother. No sooner were the countess and Mr. Poynings out of sight, however, than Ernest Evelyn threw his cigar into a clump of magnificent glossy leaved rhododendrons and quickened his pace from a saunter into an earnest, energetic stride. He had overheard Rena Percival mention to his sis- ter that morning that she intended to walk down into the village after dinner to see a little sick child in whom she was interested, and he was eager to enjoy the walk back with her. Nor was he disappointed. Close to the northern park gates, sentineled by a handsome lodge built of cream-col- ored stone, he met Miss Percival. ‘“‘Alone?” he asked, as careless as if he had naturally supposed she would be accompanied by an escort. “Yes,” she answered. “Then I may walk home with you?” “Certainly,” she answered, lightly. ‘‘Any company is better than the ghost which is said to haunt Glenhampton Park after dark!” ‘‘Not particularly complimentary to me.’ ‘But true, nevertheless. Captain Evelyn,” said Rena, gravely, ‘have you known me so long without knowing that I never pay compliments?” “T don’t want any compliments to-night,” said the officer of dragoons. ‘‘] want you to be sincere, Miss Percival——” "Which I always try to be, Captain Evelyn,” she inter- rupted, rather mischievously. “For I have something to say to you,” he went on— “something on which the whole of my future life may de- pend!” ea. (Oh, dear,” thought Rena, wringing her little white hands in the starlight, ‘he’s going to make love to me, and I haven’t the least idea what to say to him!” TEomichoo (E(0) mn <S