Beadle's Dime Novels No. 214: The Forest Monster — page 63: what you’re looking at

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

THE MOMENTOUS QUESTION. 65 natural that you should; J love them because of their kind- ness to you; but you are fitted for another life than this; go with me, and you shall never regret the step.” Hitherto the two had been standing, but now Hammond conducted her some distance from the path to a flat rock, Where the two seated themselves. It was a bright sunshiny day ; they were enveloped in shrub- bery ard undergrowth, which were so dense about them, that they were invisible to any one a short distance away. They sat in silence for a few moments; their hearts too fall for speech. She was thinking how much she loved the noble figure beside her: how happy she could be to yield her heart to him, and to go where she could be wholly his. But— “CanI? Is it best? Heaven direct me!” She prayed earnestly for guidance, for, like the simple- minded people among whom she dwelt, she was a devout believer in the protecting care of heaven. It was hard for her to decide, and still the struggle went on. Hammond was partly sitting and reclining, and now and then gazing up in the face of the maid beside him. It seemed to him that with each sage the wendewal loveliness of her « She sis’ i bedestiied<Harpassizighy beautiful,” he thought, as he looked, retarning again and again to feast upon the vision. “ No one can help admiring her ; no one can deny that she is faultless in form and feature, and yet it is not that alone which has drawn me toward her. .She is devoutly religious, good, and with a heart of the tenderest sympathy. 1 must have her; I can not live withont her.” | “Yes, Lamora,” said he, sitting. upright, and. drawing her to him, “ you must go home with me; you must be my wife ; you will find nothing but kindness, awaiting you; you will have the heart of your lover forever. You must; you shall ” _ The beantifal head, with its wealth of black hair, was now resting unresistingly upon his shoulder, He gently raised it, snd imprinied:a kiss-upon the warm cheek. ha * Auswer me, Lamora,” he said, in the gentlest of voices, “do you love me, or do you feel indifferent toward me ?” 2 comlicbooks.com