Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 90: what you’re looking at

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

= = =a “Of Cynthia’s engagement, Mr. Bran- = der!” said the hearty old lady. ae How easily one misunderstands! How Sis =. readily one applies this or that to his own _ personal case! See William in this—to cs moment. ‘William’s eyes opened suddenly; his color a rose. All the anger and the perturbation dropped from William. A moment ago, he em been a glowering, perplexed, wrathful < being; now a bewildered, delighted, almost ____ Sheepish smile came to his lips. He even — Jaughed! = “‘ Why—well, that’s different, of course!” he stammered. “I had no idea—I didn’t know anybody contemplated—” ee “Her engagement, Mr. Brander, to my dear grandson, Neville!” said Mrs. Stone, =: : - beaming, very distinctly. a CHAPTER X. THE STILLY NIGHT, WE William Brander had accomplished one very abrupt change these last minutes, he now accomplished a second. Rather, perhaps, William, having soared to pleasing heights, suddenly found both wings shot away with the same charge and crashed down upon the very spot from which he had arisen. His smile snapped out of existence, at any rate, and the glow- ering effect returned, although not so mark- edly. William, just then, looked more like a gentleman who, having been battered with a particularly heavy club, is still able to stand erect—and not much more than able. This phase, however, passed within a very little time. There was stern stuff in William Brander. Breath entered him with a faint hiss, through grinding teeth; he straight- ened up and squared his excellent shoulders; and he was even able again to smile how- ever terribly. “Well, that,’ said William, with entire _ honesty, “ is news to me!” “Likely to be news to every one,” Mrs. Stone chuckled. “ They’ve kept it mighty ee | _“ Mighty!” William just breathed. _ And for one eternal instant, he looked at | Cynthia: he gueated for the burst of denial y Ly “ay > 4 ‘4 Pea 2 1 ’ 7 5 a J HY qa¥ Tree a relies & ; SAV earl poate ie ee We oe tne Oe vw fhe Maat the fp \ : # ELAN TU tx ise ~) ry) ire al fi { Ts, hyn Ws f y i \ — —s ee ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. which simply must come from those sweet lips. It did not come. Cynthia, whose hand was clawing aimlessly at the back of a chair, failed even to face him. William drew himself up more stiffly. From him came a very small, very awful little laugh. “Well, now at least I do understand!” he said. “ I—I congratulate you, of course, Miss Blair!” Cynthia nodded vaguely. “ And T’ll go now!” William concluded, In an amazing yell that was really the sound of a great, wounded savage beast. “ I’ll go and—and—good night!” He turned and fled, hands out before him in the most absurd way. They heard him jerk open the front door without waiting for assistance from Towner; they heard it slam again, so violently that even the sub- stantial house vibrated for an instant. Sec- onds, and they heard the much fainter clos- ing of another door—and they heard no more. William was gone. Yes, he was gone! He was gone forever, as Cynthia knew very well indeed. A rare, proud being like William Brander never would return to her—after that! An in- stant, Cynthia’s eyes flamed at the back of Mrs. Stone, who was on her way to a chair, humming contentedly; an instant, and it was in Cynthia to leap upon this accursed being and tear and claw and beat and choke until it- was entirely certain that her last damage on this earth had been done. Then life seemed completely to leave the un- fortunate Miss Blair; she was only a shell, swaying there, ,without hope, temporarily quite insensate and without even capacity for joy or for sorrow. ‘“That’s the end of him!” Mrs. Stone chuckled, merrily. Cynthia could not even nod. “You know, my dear—lI’ll wager that you do know, too—that handsome young devil had his hopes of you!” ‘““ He—oh!” shuddered Cynthia. “ Well, my word!” cried the elder lady, with growing wonder. ‘ What a ridiculous- ly tender little thing it is, isn’t it? My — child, that boy’s heart isn’t broken!” ‘““Oh—he—” Cynthia observed, by way of variation. Ol Sa Sen r= ae | comicbooks.com —