The Argosy — page 193: what you’re looking at

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

Edina. 179 too, its Brussels carpet of a rich purple hue, its chairs and window hangings to match, its furniture good and handsome. She put the candle on a console, crossed to one of the windows, and gazed down at the street. Late though it was, people were surging to and fro; not at all the kind of people Daisy had been accustomed to. Over the way was a small fish shop ; a ragged man and boy, standing before it, were eating periwinkles. To pass one’s days in such a street as this must be frightfully depressing, and Mrs. Raynor burst into tears again. “Why, my darling, what is the matter?” Frank, coming up in search of her, had found her sobbing wildly, her head buried on the arm of one of the purple chairs. She lifted it, and let it lodge upon his breast. “You are disappointed, Daisy. I see it.” “ It—it is such a poor street, Frank ; and—and such a house !” Frank flushed red. He felt the complaint to his heart’s core. “It is only for a time, Daisy. Until I can get into something better. If that may ever be!” he added to himself, as Blase Pellet’s image rose before his mind. Daisy sobbed more softly. He was holding her to him. “I know, my poor girl, it is very inferior ; altogether different from anything you have been accustomed to; but this home is better than none at all. We can at least be together and happy here.” “Yes, we can,” replied Daisy, rallying her spirits and her sweet nature, as she lifted her face to look in his. “I married you for worse, as well as for better, Frank, my best love. We wil/ be happy in it.” “As happy as a king and queen in a fairy-tale,” rejoined Frank, a whole world of unmitigated hope in his tone. And that was Daisy’s instalment in her London home. CHAPTER XXVIII. A NIGHT ALARM. MisForTuNEs seldom come alone. Many of us, unhappily, have had, times and again, only too good cause to learn the truth of the saying ; but few, it is to be hoped, have experienced it in an equaldegree with the Raynors, For another calamity was in store for them: one that was at least, taking the difference between their present and past circum- stances into consideration, as distressing as the ejection from Eagles’ Nest. But it did not happen quite immediately. The weeks were calmly passing, and Mrs. Raynor felt in spirits ; for two more day-scholars had entered at the half-quarter, and another boarder was promised for Michaelmas. So that matters might be said to be progtessing, ‘Satis- factorily, though monotonously, comiichooks.com '