Beadle's Dime Novels No. 35: East and West — page 76: what you’re looking at

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

76 THE BEAUTY OF WILLARD’S MILL. an excuse to begin an acquaintance with their fair visitors. But at the first glance Constance had of the gentlemen’s faces, she caught violent hold of Minnie’s arm, exclaiming in an undertone : *“ Oh, Minnie! what shall I do?—how shall I conceal my- self?” Minnie had only time to see that her cousin was very pale, and seemed very much alarmed, when one of the strangers, equally excited, cried out in an agitated voice : “Good God! Do I really see Constance Lord ?” “ Harry Stewart, is this you?” “ Dear Constance, I am so happy to have met you !” “ Spare your compliments, sir.” . “TI beg you, Constance, not to use that tone !” During this brief aside, Minnie was doing her best to answer the condolences of two other gentlemen, guessing that her cousin was desirous of escaping observation. But Constance now turned gracefully to them, joining in the talk, and laugh- ing at the misfortune which had befallen her cousin. The gentlemen regretted not being able to offer something better than sympathy, but had come down in the stage, and had no conveyance of their own to offer. “ My horse is picketed out here in the prairie, if either of the ladies will ride him,” said Stewart, with an appealing look at Constance. But Constance made no answer; and Minnie declined, on the plea of not daring to mount a strange animal. Some arguments were used to induce her to venture, which she felt obliged to reject, for fear of displeasing Constance ; who, she saw, did not wish to incur the obligation. Her cousin insisted on walking home; as she said they had often rambled as far, when they had not even one horse between them. Finding the ladies resolute, their new friends, after renewing their regrets, bowed and went their ways; while the cousins walked leisurely homeward, Constance leading her pony. They had not gone far, when a horse’s feet were heard coming behind them. - “ Miss Lord, I entreat you will take my animal—he knows you very well—you have ridden with him before ;” and Stewart dismounted and walked beside them. comlicbooks.conm