The Argosy, Vol. XXIV, No. 1 — page 170: what you’re looking at

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

jo | LIVING IT DOWN. ‘“ How long ago ?”’ ‘‘It is more than an hour since——”’ Percy waited to hear no more; he dashed down the stairs and shouted to Walker. ‘* Did you see Jetreys go? Which way did he go?”’ ‘“T didn’t see “Come and help look for him, he’s sure to be about. Tell Appleby, do you hear? Raby, I say,’’ he exclaimed, as his cousin appeared in the hall, ‘‘ Jeff’s been kicked out an hour ago! I’m going to find him!” and the poor lad, with a heart almost bursting, flung open the door and rushed out into the street. Alas ! it was.a fool’s errand, and he knew it. Still he could not endure to do nothing. He accosted the policeman at the corner of Clarges street. ‘‘I say, have you seen a fellow go by—about an hour ago, pretty hig, in a gray suit, from No. 50?” ‘“No 50? ‘That’s Rimbolt’s, m. p., ain’t it?’ “Yes, my father’s. This fellow was the librarian there.’? | “Qh !’’ said the policeman, waking up; ‘‘ has he took much?”’ ~ No, youcad! But he’s been sent away by mistake, and I want to find him. I say, have you seen him??’? ‘‘I can’t say I have. I’ve only been on the beat half an hour.”’ Off dashed Percy, anxiously scanning the passersby, running on all sorts of false scents, losing hope every minute. After two weary hours he gave it up, and returned home dispirited and furious. Walker and Appleby had taken much less time to appreciate the useless- ness of the search, and had returned an hour ago from a perfunctory walk round one or two neighboring streets. Our young Achilles, terrible in his wrath, would see no One,.not even his mother, not even Raby. Once or twice that evening they heard the front door slam, and knew he once more was on the lookout. Mrs. Rimbolt, alarmed at the storm which she had raised, already repented of her haste, and telegraphed to Mr. Rimbolt to come to London. Raby, bewildered and miserable, shut herself up in her room and was seeu by no one. It was a wretched night for everybody, and when next morning Mrs. Rimbolt, sitting down to breakfast, was met with the news that neither Master Percy nor Miss Raby wanted breakfast, she began to feel that the affair was being overdone. ‘“Tell Miss Raby I wish her to come down.”’ In due time Raby appeared, pale but composed. ‘Raby, what is this nonsense about? It is unbecoming of you.’’ ‘ What is foolish, aunt? I have a headache; it is really not my fault.” ‘“ Surely that is not sufficient reason for foaviay me here by myself, when you know that I am in trouble about Percy.’’ ‘“ Poor Percy,’’ said Raby, with a tremble in her voice, ‘‘he is dreadiulis unhappy.’’ Gomichoo <S) (C(O)