The Argosy — page 115: what you’re looking at

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

BY RIGHT OF SWORD. 397 ashamed of him? Here he has saved you from all this, and you give him the points of your finger nails totouch. Yet youare not cold and feelingless in other things.’’ ‘“Iam glad that you speak to her like this,’’ I said gravely. ‘‘ She seems to think that a sister should never kiss such a brother as I am.’’ ‘“Do you mean to say you think I have given you no reason to believe I am thankful for what you have done ?”’ she retorted, fencing me cleverly. ‘‘I don’t echo our aunt’s words, that you arecold and feelingless, Olga— she is not that, Aunt Palitzin. But I do find that asa sister she places a strong reserve on her feelings.’’ ‘“To hear you speak,’’ said Olga, laughing lightly, ‘‘ one might think I had two characters: in one of which I was all warmth and affection; in the other all coldness and reserve.’’ ‘“And I believe that would be about right, child,’’ said the countess : “for when the boy is not here your tongue never tires of praising him’; and yet the moment he comes, he might be a stranger instead of your own nearest and dearest.’’ Olga blushed crimson at this. ‘‘ Brothers have to be treated judiciously,’’ she said. ‘““ Judiciously,’ Olga? Why, what on earth do you mean? How could you love a brave fellow like Alexis injudiciously ?”’ ‘‘ Love is often best when it is most injudicious,’’ said I sententiously, coming to Olga’s rescue; but she betrayed me shamefully. Looking inno- cently at me she asked : ‘‘ Would you like us to be a pair of injudicious lovers then, Alexis?’’ “If I never show more lack of judgment than in my love for you, I shall get well through life, Olga,’’ I retorted. ‘“I am glad you speak so seriously, Alexis,’’-said my aunt. ‘‘I’ll be no party to any deception. She does love you, boy, however much she may try to hide it when you are here ;’’ and with this, which set us both laughing metrily, the old lady went away. ‘" Does she?”’ I asked; and the question brought Olga with a happy look into my arms. But I had not come to make love, sweet though it was to have the girl’s arms about me; and as soon as I could, I began to talk seriously about our position. In the first place, I told her everything that had happened; and there was one thing that amused her, despite the tremendously critical state of our affair. It was about the great suitor the prince had promised for her. ‘’ What, another?’’ she said, with a cynical crinkling of her forehead. ‘’ Upon my word, what with brothers and lovers, I am surely plagued. ‘This makes the ’” She stopped. ‘“ How many ?”’ ‘““Idon’t think I know. KEithertwo or three, according as we reckon you. While you're my brother, two, I suppose. Otherwise, three.’’ ‘' ‘Otherwise’ isa good deal shaky, I’m afraid,’’ said I, shaking my head. ‘‘ And I begin to question whether he’ll ever count.’’ Eomichbooks:com