The Argosy, Vol. XXIV No. 2 — page 181: what you’re looking at

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

LIVING IT DOWN. 373 ‘““ You haveun’t told me your name,’’ said Raby faintly. ‘‘ Gerrard Forrester, at your service. Hullo, I say, are you ill? Hi, Jeff, wake up, old man; you’re wanted.”’ Raby had only time to sink to a chair and draw ‘Tim to her,-when Jeffreys suddenly woke and rose to his feet. ‘‘ What is it Forrester, old fellow, anything wrong?’’ said hee springing to the bedside. ‘“T don’t know what’s the matter—look behind you.’’ CHAPTER XLII.—FORRESTER’S STORY. ‘“Wuy did she cry?’’ asked Tim presently, when she had gone. ‘‘I know ; because of that ugly man,”’ said he, pointing to Forrester. ‘‘Fexcuse me, young man, I have the reputation of being good looking ; that cannot have been the reason. But, Jeff, I’m all in a dream. Who is she ; and how comes she to know you and me? And, as Timothy perti- nently remarks, ‘ Whence these tears?’ ‘Tell us all about it before the baby wakes. ’’. Jeffreys told him. ‘The story was the history of his life since he had left Bolsover ; and it took long to tell, for he passed over nothing. ‘* Poor old man,’’ said Forrester, when it was done; ‘‘ what a lot you have been through !”’ ‘‘ Have I not deserved it? That day at Bolsover ‘‘ Oh, for goodness sake, don’t go back to that. You know it was an accident, and what was not an accident was the fault of my own folly. That night I awoke and saw you standing at the door I knew that you had already suffered as much as I had.’’ 3 ‘That was the last time : saw you. You forget I have still to hear what happened to you afterwards.’ “It’s pretty easily told. But I say, Jeff, what did you say her name was ?”’ ‘“Raby Atherton,”’ said Jeffreys, smiling. This was about the twentieth time the boy had broken in with some question about her. ‘‘ She is the daughter of your guardian, Colonel Atherton, who was your father’s comrade in Afghanistan. Some day she will tell you the story of a battle out there which will make you proud of being Captain Forrester’s son. But I want to hear about you.’’ ‘‘Just one minute. Then you knew she visited about here, but she had no idea you were here.’’ ‘* No, none.”’ ‘““Why didn’t you let her know ?’’ ‘Oh, that’s a long story, too,’’ said Jeffreys, coloring. ‘‘ And an interesting one also, I guess,’’ said Forrester. ‘‘ Anything you want to hear about—hang the baby, he’s awake !”’ It was all up with story telling that day. The baby took a lot of pacify- ing, and after him Tim, who had felt out of it all the morning, turned crusty on their hands. CONNICOOOKS.€O |