The Argosy — page 101: what you’re looking at

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

Edina. 89 opened, and the Tiger appeared at it. He must have been an ear- witness to the whole. It did not tend to decrease Charley’s annoyance: and, in truth, the sudden appearance of this man upon the scene revived all Charles’s suspicions of him. The Tiger’s face wore quite a benevolent aspect. “Can I be of any use to you?” he asked. “TI will be if I can Step in here, Charles Raynor, and let us talk it over.” Charley lost his head. The words only added fuel to fire. Coming from this sneak of a sheriff’s officer, or whatever other disreputable thing he might be, they sounded in his ears in the light of an insult —a bit of casuistry designed to entrap him. And he treated them accordingly. “ You be of use to me!” he scornfully retorted with all the scorn he could call up. ‘ Mind your own business, man, if you can. Don’t presume to interfere with mine.” And out of the house strode Charley, banging the door in his turn, and sending a good afternoon to Esther Jetty through the open window. The Tiger shrugged his shoulders with a contemptuous gesture: as much as to say that the young man was not worth a thought and he washed his hands of him and his concerns. Taking up his slouching hat, he put it well over his brows, stood for a few minutes at the outer door, and then passed through the little gate. ““Wouldn’t you like your tea, sir?” called out Esther Jetty from the window. ‘I was just about to get it.” ‘* Presently,” replied the Tiger. Meanwhile Charles Raynor was striding towards home, full of bitter repentance. All the folly of his recent conduct was presenting itself before him. “I wish I had met the fellow differently!” he cried, alluding to Huddles. “There'll be no more staving-off now. A day or two, and they’ll be down upon me. I think I was a fool! What a to-do there'll be at home! How on earth will the money be found?—and what will be the upshot?” Indeed, it seemed that, with one thing and another, Eagles’ nest was not altogether comfortable. Most of its inmates had some secret trouble to try them. And yet it was not twelve months since they had entered upon it, all glee and joy, believing their days there would be delightful as in a second Paradise | The next afternoon but one, Saturday, brought William Stane. Alice chanced to be in the shrubbery, and met him. His countenance proved that he felt vexed, doubtful, ill at ease. Instead of the tender glance and smile that had been wont to greet Alice, he had a grave eye and knitted brow. The look angered her, even more than had the reported words of Sir Philip on the Thursday before. | comicbooks.com