The Argosy — page 206: what you’re looking at

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

192 How it Happened. My class was broken up, and lights were brought in, just as Louis Carter entered the room to give his afternoon lessons. It struck me that his face wore an unusually grave and forlorn look that evening, but he smiled a greeting when he recognised me. I was a little curious to see what impression the new pupils would make upon him. They were neither of them girls to be passed over unnoticed in any assemblage. I naturally concluded that none of the three had ever met before, and I was therefore much surprised to hear Fenella whisper to her sister, “It is he! It is the same Mr. Carter, and he is my very particular friend. What do you think of him?” Frances had a habit of pausing before she spoke, as if she were anxious not to say anything without due consideration. She was just beginning to reply when the governess, who had appeared with our professor, called the two up to introduce them to the notice of the master. As she did so I noticed that she put the younger girl’s name first, as I have done in writing, and as J always felt inclined to do when addressing them both together by word of mouth. In after days I often wished that we had not all fallen into this habit. It was explained that Frances did not play much. Hitherto she had never attempted more than the performance of her own accom- paniments. I drew a little nearer to observe whether Louis was also an old acquaintance of hers. It appeared not, but he was evidently far from remaining unimpressed by her beauty. His cheek flushed when his dreamy eyes fell upon the lovely downcast face before him, and I thought he lingered over the delivery of his opinion as he told her gently that he considered she made a great mistake, if she had a fine voice, in not straining every nerve to become a good player as well as an excellent singer. ‘So much depends on the way that a song is accompanied,” he said. Fenella had been waiting impatiently. She now held out her hand. “You and I have met before, Mr. Carter,” she exclaimed, with a saucy and coquettish air. The other pupils opened their eyes with surprise at her audacity. It was not etiquette in the school for the girls to speak to the masters, except when they had some question to ask about their studies. “Stand aside, Miss Perrin, if you please,” the governess said, in freezing tones, while she motioned to another young lady to come forward and take her place at the piano. I was now ready to return home, but it was raining heavily, and the German mistress persuaded me to wait awhile in the hope that the weather might improve. This was her holiday hour, and she carried me off upstairs to her room, to share her leisure for a time. She had a pleasant little sanctum here, all to herself. The chamber was cosy, cheerful, and warm, for a bright fire was burning in the grate... large comicbooks.com