Betrothed for a day: Or, Queenie Trevalyn's love testLibbey, Laura Jean
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Betrothed for a day: Or, Queenie Trevalyn's love test
Libbey, Laura Jean
American fiction -- 20th century; Dime novels
“Some one who heard the horrible whizzing sound from below, and knew
what had occurred, had the presence of mind to tear aside the wire
door. What occurred then even those who witnessed it can scarcely
recount, they were so dazeny. Anyhow, seeing the clearing straight
ahead, the stranger made the most daring leap for life that was ever
chronicled either in tale or history, through it; he had Miss Trevalyn,
who was in a deep swoon, clasped tightly in his arms.
“Out from the flying, death-dealing car he shot like an arrow from
a bow, landing headforemost among the throng, who fairly held their
breath in horror too awful for words.
“The car was wrecked into a thousand fragments.
“By the presence of mind of the heroic stranger Miss Trevalyn’s and his
own life were spared, and they were little the worse, save from the
fright, from their thrilling experience.
“They would have made a great furore over Mr. John Dinsmore at the
Ocean Hotel after that, but he would not permit it. He flatly refused
to be lionized, which showed Newport society that he was certainly
careless about being in the swim, as we call it.
“His heart was not proof against a lovely girl’s attractions, however.
He finished by falling in love with Miss Trevalyn in the most approved,
romantic style, and has been her veritable shadow ever since, despite
the fact that there are a score of handsome fellows in the race for her
favor, and one in particular, a young man who is heir to the fortune of
his uncle, a multi-millionaire, who was supposed to be the lucky winner
of the queen’s heart up to the day of the thrilling elevator episode.”
“I suppose she will marry the fine-looking hero who saved her life,”
said the mother of the four unwedded maidens.
The other returned significantly:
“If he is rich, it is not unlikely; if he is poor, Queenie Trevalyn
will whistle him down the wind, as the old saying goes. Lawrence
Trevalyn’s daughter is too worldly to make an unsuitable marriage. Her
father is one of the ablest lawyers at the New York bar, and makes no
end of money, but his extravagant family succeeds splendidly in living
up to every dollar of his entire income, and Miss Queenie knows that
her only hope is in marrying a fortune; she is quite as ambitious
as her parents. With her the head will rule instead of the heart, I
promise you; that is, if one can judge from the score of lovers she
has sent adrift this season.”
“I really thought she cared a little for young Ray Challoner, the
millionaire. I confess I had expected to see her pass most of her
last evening at Newport dancing with him exclusively; but perhaps she
is pursuing this course to pique him into an immediate proposal. A
remarkably shrewd and clever girl is Queenie Trevalyn.”
“Is this Mr. Challoner deeply in love with her, too?” asked the mother
of the four unwedded girls, trying to veil the eagerness in her voice
behind a mass of carelessness.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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