The Argosy — page 159: what you’re looking at

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

By the Sad Sea Waves. 147 “A regular brick,” responds Keith. ‘He was at College with Tom ages ago, and he came over to see Tom last autumn and get some shooting. He has a nice place of his own.” “ And is well off?” “Well off! I wish I was likely to be half as well. He is going to take me out fishing this afternoon. I told him you two were here, and that you were my cousins.” I draw the boy to me as Ottalie leaves the room, and look into his eyes, speaking impressively : “‘ Keith, you must take care. Vo tales out of school, you know, about | past troubles.” At first the lad, gazing hard at me with his honest eyes, scarcely seems to understand. And I add, “For Ottalie’s sake.” “Why, Deb, I hope you don’t think there’s need to caution me on that score,” he says, promptly and half indignantly. ‘“ My mother would skin me, I expect, if I could talk about ‘haf. And serve me Tight, too !” Sitting on the bench in our solitary cottage garden at sunset, I see two figures coming across the sands. Can Keith be going to bring that man here? How stupid the lad is ! Yes, on they come, and inside the gate—Keith eager as the school-boy he is, the other already lifting his straw hat respectfully. Ottalie rises deliberately, turns her back, and looks over the side palings. ‘““Mr. Daine, Miss Peyre,” cries the lad, making the introduction after the manner of his elders. ‘And this is her sister,” he adds, pulling Ottalie round by the arm. “ Ottalie, here’s Mr.,Daine.” Ottalie and I bow stiffly ; she puts on her coldest manner, comes — back to her seat, and takes it. Mr. Daine sits down, facing us, in a small iron chair. Keith climbs the trunk of the big tree and lodges himself amid the branches. He begins telling of their fishing expedi- tion in the afternoon, and what they caught and did not catch, which leads us on to general conversation. In the midst of it appears the small servant maid. “Tea is waiting, ma’am,” she says to me. What can I do but ask the intruder to take some tea? We all go into the sitting-room together. I place myself before the table ; they range themselves at the open windows. Ottalie’s beautiful grey eyes glance up at him ever and anon through their long dark lashes as he talks to her. “Now, is he not a jolly brick?” demands Keith, as Mr. Daine says good night and leaves. “Very,” cries Ottalie, sarcastically. “T can tell you, Ottie, all the girls down with us thought‘ soi: | (Not that Ae thinks much of women,” adds Master Harland. ‘‘ He does not ‘ a | comicbooks.conn