Beadle's Dime Novels No. 20: Florida; or, The Iron Will — page 68: what you’re looking at

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

es FLORIDA; OR, THE IRON WILL. to her feet—placed both hands on her shoulders, and shook her violently. The motion restored consciousness to some degree. Virginia twined her arms wildly about Florida, sob- bing as she cried, “Are you sure ?—are you very sure?—oh ! Florida, you have broken my heart.” There was a long silence, for Virginia had fainted in her sister’s arms. | Florida lifted the insensible form and carried it to the nheares; couch. There depositing her, she hurried for water. There was a strange vindictiveness ir her manner, that at s such a time seemed almost demoniac. Line “Let her suffer,” she cried, between locked lips; “I hate her for loving, for being loved by him. I would have given my very soul for a smile, even if crime had been added to shame; but she is weak, and will renounce him. Then—I am rich—I have power. Virginia!” she cried again, as the strained eyes slowly opened— foolish zirl! I had better have held my tongue.” : ; “1 Florida! what did you tell me?” cried Virginia, pas- sionately, despairingly. “It was about Parker—I remember now—I am sick, deadly sick—but not for that—no, noy I never, never, never will believe that. O! he has such bitter enemies !” , “Tt is true, Virginia; still, if I had known how the matter would affect you, I should have held my tongue. Now you see why I have always been so cool toward the schoolmaster, You could not understand it; for at first the matter was o hinted at, then whispered about, and now it is publicly known all over the town.” ““T don’t believe it, Florida; I tell you it is ‘a lie!” Virginia almost shrieked, flinging herself from the couch. “You should hear him speak of his mother. He called her pure and holy— - Go you suppose if that was true, he would mention her name ? No; he would never hold up his head again; with all his pride, it would kill him. I won't believe it, Florida, I won’t believe it” “ Your belief or unbelief will not alter the facts, Virginia.’ “Florida, do you hate him?” cried Virginia, with such venemence that her sister started and changed color. “ Yea you do; I believe you hate him—I believe yor hate me. O conmiclXoolksS.conn ,