The Argosy — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

4 Edina, and the discomfort out of doors did not disturb the geniality within. At Eagles’ Nest, the days floated on in around of enjoyment ; they seemed to be one continuous course of pleasure that would never have an end. Daisy Raynor had never been so happy in all her life : Eagles’ Nest, she said, was like Paradise. The music and the wax-lights, the flowers and the evergreens rendered the rooms at Sir Philip Stane’s a scene of enchantment. At least it seemed so to Alice Raynor as she entered upon it. Something that you might read about in fairyland, but scarcely see in this prosaic life. William Stane stood near the door, and caught her hand as she and Charles were following their father and mother. “The first dance is for me, remember, Alice,” he whispered. And her pretty cheeks flushed and a half conscious smile of assent parted her lips, as she passed on to Lady Stane. Lady Stane, a stout and kindly woman in emerald green, received her kindly. She suspected that this young lady might become her daughter-in-law some day or another, and she looked at her more critically than she had ever looked before. Alice could bear the inspection to-night: her new white dress was beautiful ; her face was charming, her manner was modest and graceful. ‘The most lady- like girl in the room,” mentally decided Lady Stane, “‘and no doubt will have a fair purse of money. William might do worse.” William Stane thought he might do very much worse. There’s no doubt he was truly attached to Alice. Not perhaps in the wild and ardent manner which some lovers own to : all natures are not capable of that: but he did love her, and hoped that when he married it was she who would be his wife. He was not ready to marry yet. He was progressing in his profession, but with the proverbial slowness that is said to attend the advancement of barristers; and he did not mean to speak just at present. Meanwhile he was quite content to make love tacitly; and he felt sure that his intentions were understood. His elder brother was not present this evening, and it fell to William to act as such and to dispense his favours, and himself as a partner, pretty equally; but every moment that he could snatch for Alice, was given to her; in every dance that he could crib from society’s exactions, she was his partner. “ Have you enjoyed the evening, Alice?” he questioned in a whisper, as he was taking her to the carriage at three o’clock in the morning. “T never enjoyed an evening half so much,” was the shyly-breathed answer. And Mr. William Stane got possession of her hand as she spoke, and kept it in his to the last. If this lighted-hearted carelessness did not come to an end! If freedom from trouble could but last for ever! Pleasure first, jsays a comicbooks.com