Penny Blood Serial Fiction — page 338: what you’re looking at

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

THE TEST OF LOVE d21 to me? You know that I am not without money, and even if I were, every jewel that I possess should have been placed at your service. Good God! my darling Frank, to think that you may have been in distress, to think that you could have lacked perhaps the necessaries of life — oh, the thought is more than I can endure! ”’ Again did she seize him in her arms, again did she press him with almost convulsive violence to her highly swelling bosom, and again, too, did she lavish upon him the warmest, most impassioned caresses. Then she released him from her arms, and as if he were indeed the bright and beautiful idol of her adoration, she sat gazing upon him with a volup- tuous tenderness. Again was his purpose shaken; again did he feel more than half-inclined to avow his object in presenting himself before her in an aimost pauper raiment; and there was a moment, too, when his heart swelled with a sense of the proudest feeling that he might, if he chose, proclaim himself to be rich, that he had found a father and a mother, and that they had promised to endow him with a fortune in case he should find Juliana all he hoped and wisned, and should in due time lead her to the altar.. But the very thought that he was in a condition to proclaim this triumphant intelligence had the effect of reminding him of the solemn sacred vow which he had pledged to his par- ents that the test should be persevered in until the very end. ‘Now tell me, dearest Frank,’’ said Juliana, perceiving that he remained silent, — perceiving also that conflicting thoughts were agitating in his mind, but of what nature she could not guess, “ tell me, my own dear Frank, what you have been doing with yourself? What has happened to you since we parted? It is nearly six weeks. Oh, it seems an ave. But, thank God! it has only been for so short an interval, because whatsoever you may have suffered has not therefore been of long continuance. Ah! did you think that because on that day when you were driven by my wicked mother from Saxondale House, did you think that my lips would echo whatsoever taunts had flowed from hers? Did you think, my own dear Frank, that I could be so cruel or unjust as to visit upon you whatsoever deeds your sister might have done? No, no; you should have known me better — you should have known me better! But, thank Heaven! you are come back to me at last.” COnNIEOOOKS (C(O)