The Widowed Bride — page 165: what you’re looking at

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

Cl? are: 156 THE WIDOWED BRIDE. ‘‘Let her come—she is nothing to me.’ “Ernest,” exclaimed Lady dieckaaptan, beginning to be seriously alarmed, ‘‘what is the matter?” - “Don’t ask me any questions, mother,” he answered, with an impatient backward toss of his hair. “I’m tired of Glen- hampton, and I’m going away.’ “Ts not this a sudden resolution, Ernest’ get ‘‘All my resolutions are sudden, mother, I believe,” he answered, with a mirthless laugh. “But what will our guests think?” ‘“What they please—it is quite indifferent to me.” ‘“‘What can I say to them? What will Miss Cardiff sup- pose? Oh, Ernest, reconsider this mad freak of yours!” she pleaded, putting her hand appealingly upon his shoulder. ‘It is no freak, mother, but a settled purpose,” he replied. ‘‘Make what excuses you please—you never were at a loss yet for a subterfuge. I am off by to-morrow morning’s train.” And all Lady Glenhampton’ s entreaties were but as idle air to prevail on him to alter his determination. Long be- fore the guests at the castle had assembled round the next morning’s breakfast-table Captain Evelyn was miles away, steaming over the iron track of the Northwestern railway.