The Argosy, Vol. XXIV No. 2 — page 186: what you’re looking at

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

378 LIVING IT DOWN. ‘“T may be running down to the north myself in about a fortnight,’’ said he ; ‘‘ we can leave business till then—good by.’’ | The train came in at last. Jeffreys could see the boy pacing in a non- chalant way down the platform, evidently expecting anything but this meeting. His eyes seemed by some strange perversity even to avoid the figure which stood waiting for him ; nor was it till Jeffreys quietly stepped in front of him and said ‘‘ Percy,’’ that they took him in and blazed forth a delighted recognition. ‘* Jeff,’’? he said, ‘‘ you’ve come back—really ?’’ ‘* Yes, really.’’ ‘‘'To stay—for good ?’’ ‘“For good, old fellow.’’ : Percy heaved a sigh of mighty content as he slipped his arm into that of his friend. And half an hour later the two were whizzing northward on their way to Wildtree with their troubles all behind them. CHAPTER XLIV.—A FRESH START. It is supposed to be the duty of every well conducted author, after the curtain has fallen on the final tableau of his little drama, to lift it, or half lift it, for a momentary last glimpse of the principal actors. I am not quite sure whether this is not an encouragement to laziness on the part of the reader. In most respects he is as well able to picture the future of Jeffreys, and Raby, and Percy, and Tim, as I am. I cannot show them to you in all the dignity of an honored old age, be- cause they are only a year or two older today than they were when Percy and Jeffreys took that little run together down to Cumberland. Nor can I show them to you, after the fashion of the fairy tale, ‘‘ married and living happily ever afterwards,’’ because when I met Jeffreys in the Strand the other day, he told me that although he had just been appointed to the control of a great public library in the north, it would still be some months, possibly a year, before he would be able to set up house on his own account. However, he seemed contented on the whole to wait a bit; and in a long talk we had as we walked up and down the Embankment I heard a good many scraps of information which make it possible to satisfy the reader on one or two points about which he may still be anxious. Jeffreys and Percy stayed at Wildtree for a month, and that time was one of the happiest both of them ever spent. ‘They did nothing exciting. They read some Aristophanes ; and added some new ‘‘ dodge’’ to their wonderful automatic bookcase. "They went up Wild Pike one bright winter’s day and had a glorious view from the top. And on the ledge coming back they sat and rested awhile on a spot they both remembered well. Julius’ grave was not forgotten when they reached the valley below; and the ‘‘J’’ upon the stone which marks the place to this day was their joint work for an hour that afternoon. 3 As for the books, Jeffreys had sprung towards them on his first arrival as ‘boo