The Argosy — page 181: what you’re looking at

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

Edina. 167 ‘*Colonel Cockburn, sir?” was the answer to his inquiry. “I don’t think he is in town.” “Not in town!” cried Charles, his ardour - suddenly damped. “ Why do you think that?” “He has not been here for a day or two, sir: so we conclude he is either absent, or ill, The Colonel is sometimes laid up with gout for a week together.” “Can you tell me where he lives? I'll go and see.” . “In St. James’s Street,” replied the man, giving at the same time the number. To St. James’s Street proceeded Charles, found the house, in which the Colonel occupied rooms, and saw the landlady. Colonel Cockburn was at Bath: had gone to stay with a brother who was lying there ill. “What a dreadful bother!” thought Charles. “Cockburn must have a whole regiment of brothers!” And he stood in indecision. “Will the Colonel be back soon?” inquired he. “I don’t at all know,” was the landlady’s answer. ‘Should he be detained in Bath, he may not come back before October. The Colonel always leaves London the end of July. Sometimes he leaves earlier than that.” “What on earth am I to do?” cried Charles, partly aloud, his vivid hopes melting considerably. “My business with him was urgent.” “Could you write to him?” suggested the landlady. “T suppose I must—if you have his address. But I ought to see him.” She took an envelope from the mantelpiece, on which was written an address in the Crescent, Bath. Charles copied it down, and went out. He stood a moment, considering what he should do. The day was so fine and the town so full of life, that to go hence to that poking old southern suburb seemed a sin and a shame. So he decided to make a day of it, now he was there, and began with the Royal Academy. Time slips away in the most wonderful manner when sight-seeing, and the day was over before Charles thought it half way through. When he reached home, it was past nine. The children were in bed ; his mother also had gone there with headache; Edina and Alice were sewing by lamp-light. Alice was at some fancy work; Edina was . mending a torn pinafore: one of a batch. While taking his supper, Charles told them of his ill-luck in regard to Colonel Cockburn. And when the tray went away, he got paper and ink and began to write to him. “‘He is sure to have heard of our misfortunes—don’t you think su, Edina? I suppose I need only just allude to them.” “ Of course he has heard of them,” broke in Alice, resentfully. — the world must have heard of them.” comichooks.com