The Land Claim — page 87: what you’re looking at

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

GOLDEN HOURS. 83 don’t talk about it; but look upon me as yours always—yours forever—let what will happen.” ~ . Arm in arm—for Alicia was so carried away by his stronger will that she no longer cared to deny herself the pleasure of this unexpected meeting—the lovers, blessed for one little hour, strolled about the cabin and premises, or sat upon the porch, gazing at far-off landscapes over the river, while they talked of prospects in the future, more far-off, and not so bright as these glorious river-views. “ Bear this in mind, my love,” said Allen, at the close of a vain effort to shape any tangible hope out of what seemed their inevitable fate, “that I have not given you up. Time and unforeseen events may do something for our cause, though we are able to do nothing for ourselves; and whenever that time comes, I shall not be fur away. But, I want to ask you one thing, my love. I know you are the best little girl in the world, and that you always sacrifice yourself to a sense of. duty ; but is there not some other reason for your extraordi- nary constancy to your father—who certainly has not seemed to deserve such perfect self-sacrifice from you—some secret motive, I mean, for being the most dutiful daughter that any one ever knew? I have sometimes thought there must be.” “TI do not know,” replied Alicia, embarrassed, “that it is a daaghter’s province to judge of her father’s deserts.” “Perhaps not, dear; but you evade my question. IfI am impertinent in asking it, tell me so without embarrassment—I can bear a little reproof from you.” “Oh, no,” she answered, nervously thridding her slender fingers through the scarlet fringe of her shawl; “it is not pre- - sumptuous in you to wish to know any thing which concerns me; and I should tell you any thing willingly which would not displease my father.” “ Your father again! Well, you are an incomprehensible girl. But I won't tease you any more, for I see I have made 4 good guess.” . The afternoon sun was shining hotly, and the air was very sultry. The little porch was not a comfortable place on such an afternoon, and Allen proposed to seek the cooler shelter of the woods. The forest along these bluffs was crossed in every comicbooks.com