Penny Blood Serial Fiction — page 325: what you’re looking at

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

308 REYNOLDS’ WORKS ness, and I am confident that you will reciprocate this strenuous endeavour on my part. We are not mere children, Juliana; we understand our own feelings, and what we promise we know that we shall perform. On my side there is the fullest confidence that I shall be happy with you; tell me, dear Juliana, that you feel an equally strong con- viction of being happy with me?” For a moment Miss Farefield’s heart was smitten with remorse at the idea of the basely treacherous part which she was playing toward a man who addressed her in such honest terms and in such noble language. But that com- punctious feeling quickly passed away, her selfishness be- came paramount once more, and the words to which she gave utterance were spoken with every appearance of a congenial frankness and candour. ‘““ My dear George, I have loved you from the first moment we met at Mr. Denison’s. Perhaps I may even admit that on former occasions when in Lincolnshire, I did not behold you with indifference — ’’ “Oh, Juhana! is this possible? May I flatter myself that it is so?’’ and the confiding,. noble-hearted Hawkshaw again spoke with exultant enthusiasm. “Tt is true, dear George, it is true — most true,” mur- mured the artful Juliana, appearing to be plunged into the modest confusion of a maiden from whose lips an avowal of the heart’s feelings is elicited by the influence of sincerest love. | Mr. Hawkshaw was overjoyed by that assurance, which he firmly beleved, for what will not a man believe when he is lip-deep in love, and when the. things which he is called upon thus to put faith in are so intimately connected with that love of his? He and Juliana continued to walk together for three whole hours, until the bell rang for luncheon. Those were three hours of Elysian bliss to the fine-hearted squire, and they afforded Juliana an opportunity for setting to work all the tactics of the most delicate finesse. She had not only won the love of the squire, but also his implicit confidence. It was her purpose to retain both, though all ! the while resolving to deceive him. She had to affect a passion which she did not feel, but this she did the more easily because while responding to her admirer in the lan- guage of love, she pictured to herself that it was Frank Paton Gomicbooks