The Argosy, Volume XLIV — page 281: what you’re looking at

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

THE SIDETRACKING OF BAD LUCK. can soon get the twist out of my back— and anyhow, I'll have nothing else to do for the next week but to get over it. Such a lonely life as I have at that hotel —away from my husband all the time —and those are such frivolous people at the place.” Mrs. Pomeroy looked particularly grim; but Robert’s eyes were on the fair speaker, who wore the air of a martyr. “It must be lonely,’ said Robert sympathetically. He was profoundly sorry his mother had come. He could have said some- thing very beautiful if he had been alone with Mrs. Lightwood, whereas, with that grim old face beside him, it was impossible. “Oh, it is dreadful,” sighed Mrs. Lightwood, her long black lashes drooping ggainst the soft curve of her cheek. “ If it were not that my health goes all to pieces in the city—and Ed simply forces me to come away—and, of course, I never mention to him how it really is—he thinks I am having a per- fectly lovely time—dear old Ed! “But to be so alone, and I know there are some lovely people in the country around here—and do you know, they never come to see any of us? You are the only country people I have ever met—and it was only by the merest chance, you know 7 “TI am sure I would be delighted to eall,”’ said Robert, his face reddening with pleasure. “ Oh, that would be simply lovely! ” cried Mrs. Lightwood, growing more childlike every moment. “ And per- haps you would let me spend the day at your house sometimes—and give me a real country dinner! Do you know that they give us refrigerated eggs to eat at the hotel? Do you mind if I lean on you a little—there ts a twist in my back. - “ There—that’s so much more com- fortable. What a pretty horse you have —and this is the nicest little buggy! I do love driving—but I so seldom have an opportunity, being away from Ed all the time.” “Tf you would like—if vou didn’t mind,” stammered Robert, “I would be pleased to come up and take you out driving very often.” 207 “How de——” Mrs. Lightwood was beginning, when Mrs. Pomeroy inter- rupted. “ How can you be so inconsiderate, Robert?” she asked with a dry ex- plicitness that struck cold to his inmost being. “‘ Of course you couldn’t let no lady drive that horse alone, an* of course you couldn’t go drivin’ with Mis’ Lightwood. As she was jes’ goin’ to remark, people do talk so about a hotel! ” “How I love this old woman!” was what Mrs. Lightwood told herself; but what she said aloud was: “ No, I wasn’t going to remark that, but it is true, and it’s so kind of your mother to remind me of it. Ed says that’s my chief diffi- culty—I’m so young and thoughtless. But I’m sure there could be no diffi- culty if you and your mother both came to take me out driving—could there, now ?—and we could get the twist out of our backs by deerces. “Here we are at the hotel—and you are both to comé in with me, if only for a little while. There is the nicest old lady here, Mrs. Pomeroy—you make me think of her so much, and I am dy- ing for you to meet her. Do come in, now—she’s sitting out there on the porch.” Robert was already assisting Mrs. Lightwood to the ground. His face was flushed and eager, and he took his mother’s arm with intention. “We'll go in for a little while,” he said; and the best bonnet and the best skirt proceeded up the walk, wholly in- different to the fact that the mantilla -was turned up on one shoulder, betray- ing the presence of the second-best waist. Mrs. Pomeroy found herself intro- duced to the nicest old lady, who was knitting a white shawl by the fading light; and the nicest old lady imme- diately launched forth on an account of a family of Pomeroys she had known in quite another part of the United States; and though Mrs. Pomeroy dis- claimed any connection, the nicest old lady remembered that one of the brothers of this family had suddenly disappeared, many years ago, after a scandal of some kind, she couldn’t re- eall what, and maybe it wasn’t true any- (GO) MICLOO© SS) (GO) awa