The Argosy, Vol. 7

This issue of The Argosy features the seventh chapter of "Roland Yorke: A Sequel to 'The Channings,'" serialized by the author of East Lynne.

The narrative centers on Bede Greatorex, a solicitor whose life is marked by quiet suffering. Four years have passed since his close friend John Ollivera's death; his health is deteriorating with symptoms of the inward complaint that killed his mother. His domestic life offers no solace. His wife Louisa, married three years, is willfully extravagant, parasitic on his finances, and utterly indifferent to others' suffering—she callously delays her dying maid's departure to visit her mother. Bede maintains a handsome Bedford Square home but Louisa perpetually demands fashionable locations.

In his office this April morning, Bede works at the family solicitors' firm. His head clerk, Mr. Brown, an efficient man with remarkable grey eyes, persistently unsettles him with a vague familiarity Bede cannot place. A new clerk arrives late. Meanwhile, Bede's young stepdaughter Jane has a patient, conscientious governess teaching her French—Miss Channing, a gentle, thoughtful young woman of striking character and appearance.