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"I ad her hand in the darkness as they walked The ecstasy and the bliss of that moment held him almost without words She was as life to hirey, sordid life a from justice solely for her sake If he married Louise Lambert and then cast off the matrimonial shackles he would recover his patrimony and be well-off
To reat The inheritance of his father's fortune was so very easy Louise was a pretty girl, well educated, bright, vivacious, and thoroughly up to date Yet soh his father, perhaps blinded in his years, had reckoned him his best and most sincere friend There are many unscrupulous men who pose as dear, devoted friends of those who they know are doomed by disease to die-- ea one of their own kith and kin in the social scale
Old Mr Henfrey, a genuine country landowner of the good old school, a ularly to hounds and enjoyed his days across the stubble, was one of the unsuspicious Charles Benton he had first o in the Hotel de Russie in Ro there Benton was entleman He talked of his days at Harrow, and afterwards at Ca" in the Gladstonian days, and of his life since as a fairly well-off bachelor with roo up between thearded his father's friend with entire confidence
"You adh," re pause "It is hardly fair of you, is it?"
"Ah! darling, you do not know ripped her little hand htly in his own "I only wish I could learn the truth myself so as to make complete explanation But at present all is doubt and uncertainty Won't you trust me, Dorise?"
"Trust you!" she echoed "Why, of course I will! You surely know that, Hugh"
The young ain silent for some moments Then he exclaimed: "Yet, after all, I can see no ray of hope"
"Why?"
"Hope of our e, Dorise," he said hoarsely "How can I, without money, ever hope to make you my wife?"