Argosy (UK), January 1955 — page 20: what you’re looking at

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

JOHAN FABRICIUS She sat on the topmost step leading down into the garden, = _ looking out over the flowers and vegetables as if in reverie, but s he passed behind her along the open gallery, she turned half _ He nodded, rather awkwardly and not over-enthusiastically. s he went on to the bathroom, he asked himself whether she | Seaight, by any chance, be one of Cook’s numerous relations, _ about whom Thérése had complained. Nobody blamed the dear old soul for her extensive family; but _ those grandchildren and great-grandchildren, who were—very _ rightly—her pride and joy, to come and have dinner with her on the slightest pretext, and Thérése suspected her of giving each of _ them something from the store-room as a parting gift. Cook had a tendency to be generous at the expense of her mistress, Thérése | declared; and finally she had taken action to put a stop to the many visits. Did Cook think the coast was clear again, and that she could _ safely send invitations out once more? Mr. Van Houten decided larder, or weigh and issue personally every pound of rice, he - would nevertheless keep an eye on the Chinese grocer’s bills. When he left the bathroom, the short tropical dusk had already _ merged into night. The unknown young woman was still sitting _ in the same place, looking dreamily in front of her over the _ garden, which was dark by now. What on earth was she doing - alone outside the kitchen, now shut up and deserted? If Cook _ had invited her, why hadn’t she told her to come round to the _ back compound along with the other servants? Now he thought of it, it struck him as being unusually quiet at _ the back there this evening ... very likely they had all gone out because the master wasn’t dining in the house anyway—he had — 3 been invited out for dinner, for the first time in some weeks. In that case, the strange girl must have found no one at home when she arrived, and was, perhaps, sitting waiting for Cook to come __ back. ___ He decided to ask her. But when, at his approach, she again turned her youthful, not unattractive, small face slowly and 25 ely towards him, he changed his mind. Possibly she was _ the latest sweetheart of Ketip, his coachman (who was still single), _ he thought suddenly; and he didn’t want to appear inquisitive. By the way, it was high time that young gentleman came home, _ if he was to harness the horse for his master! round towards him, and greeted him shyly: “‘ Good evening, a _ she was in the habit of inviting those many nephews and nieces, - that, although he could hardly go and count all the tins in the _ He was late himself this evening, Mr. Van Houten noted with _ COMIC DOOKS:COM