The Widowed Bride — page 167: what you’re looking at

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

~~“ pa THE WIDOWED BRIDE. bing, nevertheless, at the idea of news from Rena. ‘‘Has Captain Evelyn ever been here before, Agnes?” Oh, yes; he used to be papa’s little pupil years ago, and he often comes to visit us. He’s real nice; he knows lots of games, ard he taught us croquet the last time he was here. Phebe says she’s going to be his little wife.” While Agnes was imparting this morsel of news to her governess Mrs. Hskett was in the study hurrying her hus- band on his journey to the station to meet the expected uest. 3 ‘ When, two hours later, the Rev. Mr. Eskett returned to Tregarvan Rectory, accompanied by Captain Evelyn, Mrs. Eskett received her husband’s former pupil with the smil- ing cordiality that seemed inherent in her nature; the little girls ran to meet him, each striving which should be fore- most to receive his kiss, and it was not until he entered the the shady sitting-room that he saw a sught figure, sitting, as it were, in a background of roses by the open window— a figure all in white, with bright brown hair and eyes of the softest violet gray, but nevertheless so startlingly like Rena Percival that he stopped abruptly. “Oh, I forgot,” said Mrs. Eskett, advancing at the same moment, ‘‘you have not been introduced to my friend, Miss Percival. Alice, this is Captain Evelyn!” | ‘‘Miss - Percival!” muttered Ernest, contriving to bow, although he felt asif he were in a dream. Had he fled resolutely, from the presence of one beautiful enchantress, only to meet her double in the wild solitudes of the Welsh ‘hills? A bewildered sensation stole over his brain—the room swam around him for an instant, while Alice Perci- val’s lovely face seemed to look at him from misty clouds! And then little Emily Eskett ran up to him with one of the downy ducklings in her hand to eall his attention to its marvelous developments of web feet; the fair apparition glided away, and the charm was momentarily dispelled. ‘Miss Percival,” he repeated, turning to Mrs. Eskett. ‘My sister has a friend staying with her, at the castle, of that name—they are relatives, I presume.” : ‘They are sisters,’ said Mrs. Eskett. ‘Did your sister’s friend never tell you that Alice was our governess here?” <<Never!” ae ‘That is strange, too,” said the rector’s wife. ‘‘But she is a very lovely girl, and we are delighted with her.” comicbooks.com