Page 270 (1/1)

Paul Montague had other troubles on his mind beyond this trouble of the Mexican Railway It was now ht since he had taken Mrs Hurtle to the play, and she was still living in lodgings at Islington He had seen her twice, once on the following day, when he was allowed to coeain, three or four days afterwards, when thewas by nohad storhts, and had dared him to be false to her Did he mean to deny that he had promised to marry her? Was not his conduct to her, ever since she had now been in London, a repetition of that proain she becaht have given way At the moment he had felt that any fate in life would be better than a s, nevertheless, touched him very nearly He had promised her most distinctly He had loved her and had won her love And she was lovely The very violence of the storm made the sunshine more sweet She would sit down on a stool at his feet, and it was impossible to drive her away from him She would look up in his face and he could not but embrace her Then there had come a passionate flood of tears and she was in his arms How he had escaped he hardly knew, but he did know that he had proain before two days should have passed

On the day na himself, which was at any rate true in words He had been summoned, he said, to Liverpool on business, andher till his return And he explained that the business on which he was called was connected with the great A important, demanded his attention In words this was true He had been corresponding with a gentleman at Liverpool ho involuntarily becoue This entleested that he should coone, and his conduct at the Board had been the result of the advice which he had received; but itintervieith Mrs Hurtle had not added strength to Mr Ramsbottom's invitation