The Argosy, Volume XXIV — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

Gabriel's Appointment. 7 Grace’s heart with such: fear and doubt, as to whether she had done wrong in leaving town, that half the night passed in tears—only soothed at last by prayer. To the credit of Dr. Nelson it must be stated that his prescription had due effect, and the artist found herself next day, if a little pulled down in strength, sufficiently free from pain to be ready for work.. Indeed, Myra’s impatience was hardly greater than her own, and the morning was so clear and bright, the air so deliciously sweet, that, as she said, it was hard to believe they were on the same island as St. Edmund’s district, where it was easier to get anything than light, except sweetness. Even in the act of establishing her drawing-board at the library window, pronounced to be the most favourable for artistic purposes, Alice could not help lingering awhile to admire the distant landscape, now visible through the leafless trees—the mingling of blue, purple, and grey, the graceful sweep of the outlines, where the moor closed in the woodland, and, above all, the far-off dip on the horizon, marking the points between which a good glass could sometimes detect the sea. It was all so beautiful it seemed a pity not to go out and sketch; and there was something that almost jarred on the harmony of the scene when Mrs. Salisbury entered, carrying in her hand a strong leather box, and wearing an expression of grave uneasiness which had not been on her face before. Alice’s first idea was that she thought her dilatory, and she was stammering out something about’ making up for lost time when Miss Strahan was ready, but she found that Mrs. Salisbury was thinking of something else—something that she had a little difficulty in mentioning. She set the box on the table, and stood for a few minutes looking down upon it, her fingers playing absently on the lid. “Pray, Miss Kerr,” she said at last, with an effort, “‘ was it an idea of fours that a child like Myra should have her likeness taken dressed out in diamonds ?” ‘Mine! I was against it from the first: only Sir Jesse was afraid of her being disappointed.” “ Vou understood, then, it was her own wish ?” “Ves, and as it had been a promise, we consulted how it could be arranged without making the picture ridiculous. I sug- gested something of this kind,” and she showed her pen-and-ink sketch. “T see,” was Mrs. Salisbury’s reply, as she looked thoughtfully at the spirited outline, and then at the face of the artist. ‘And Sir Jesse approved of your suggestion ?” ‘Ves, I am sure he did.” There was a short silence before Mrs. Salisbury spoke again. “Miss Kerr,” she said, “young as you are, I know, from what I have heard of you, that you have had some experience in trouble, and have bravely borne your share. This makes it easier for an old woman like myself to speak to you of mine.” comicbooks.com