The Argosy, Volume XXIV — page 25: what you’re looking at

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

Gabriel’s Appointment. 21 ‘* Any lives lost? Anyone hurt? Where was Joel Treherne ? ” ‘He seems to have been there. I will read you what she says. It is dated from the ‘ Lord Warden,’ Dover. “My own dear Grace,—I suppose you know all about our move from Miss Kerr, and the fright we had with the fire in the Mission schoolyard, which I can’t make out the rights of, nor Joel either, and there’s been more going on than [I like to talk about, as I am not sure. Now it is all over, I am very glad we are here. ‘The doctor said Mr. Bruce must not stay in town any longer, and Mr. and Mrs. Carroll came to fetch him away, and Miss Leicester was, kind enough to take me, instead of Mrs. Ellis, as her maid. Mr. Bruce was very ill at first, but he is getting much better. I think they mean to be married directly after Easter, and perhaps they will go abroad, before they settle down at Lowlevels. Dear Grace, she told me she hoped that you and me would be her housemaid and cook, which will make me quite happy, if you are so too. People make me laugh when they talk about you and Mr. Jones—I know better. Dear Grace, if only I could see you as happy as I am, with my dear, dear Joel, who is the best man in the world, and the hand- somest, I should have nothing more to wish, except that there were no wicked people in the world. Joel says it was a near thing, but they got the worst of it this time.” ‘Ts that all ?” asked Martin, as the reader paused. “ All but a few words, only meant for me,” said Grace, who had really read straight on out of sheer nervousness, when she had ‘intended only to select a sentence or two. “Who is the Mr. Jones she mentions ?” ‘He brought me news of a friend of mine.” ‘Where does he come from P” *¢ Australia.” “Ts he himself .a friend of yours ?” Grace was silent for a few moments, before answering, ‘‘ Yes.” “Grace,” he said, looking earnestly at her, as she sat with drooping head before him, ‘‘ Joel has no secrets from me, so you and I ought to be friends. What am I to think? Is this man’s name Jones, really ? or is he ‘d “Stop, stop, sir—don’t ask me what I cannot answer. He isa man who has been dreadfully tried, and unjustly accused, and he trusts me ; and I must not, and will not, betray his secrets.” “Do you think he had any hand in this fire ?” ! “T hope and trust not. He is not a housebreaker, or a thief—that Iam quite sure of.” He looked at her thoughtfully for awhile, then walked up and down the room in silence. ‘Do you know what happened in this house ? ” he asked, presently, as he stopped short before her. ‘‘Do you know that a poor young wife was frightened to death by the secret contrivances of some comicbooks.com