The Argosy — page 269: what you’re looking at

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

Edina. 253 she wanted to keep him with her to the end. Thus Max wrote, and it was the only plea of excuse he gave for his prolonged stay. Frank could not help thinking there was some mystery about it; but he was quite content to remain at his post. It was very rare indeed that he could get an hour or two’s recreation, such as this. The practice was an exacting one, and he had no assistant. *t That’s the postman’s knock !” cried out Kate. The postman was not a frequent visitor at Laurel Cottage. When he did bring a letter, it was always for the Raynors: Mrs. Fox never had one at all, and never seemed to expect one. Kate ran to the door, and brought back the letter. It proved to be from Alice: stating why she was not able to come. “Daisy, my darling, you must put your bonnet on,” whispered Frank. “I want to get home before dark: I have been away now longer than I care to be.” “‘ T should let the practice go to York for one evening,” ” cried Alfred, who chanced to overhear the words. “No doubt you would,” laughed Frank. “Well, Frank, I’m sure you seem to set that precious practice up above everything. One would think it was an idol, with a golden body and diamond wings.” “And soI ought to set it above everything, Master Alfred. <A steward must do his duty.” Daisy went indoors unnoticed. She was feeling tired, wanted to be at home herself, and began settling on her bonnet before the glass at the window of the crowded back room. ‘Two beds were in the chamber, besides other furniture: in one of which slept Mrs. Raynor and Kate, in the smaller one Edina. What a change it all was for them! Sud- denly, while Daisy’s attention was still given to her bonnet, certain words, spoken by Edina, broke upon her ear. She and Frank had sat down on the bench below the window, and were talking of Trennach. Mrs, Raynor and the children were at the end of the garden, bending together over the untidy path, as if seeking to determine what kind of coarse gravel it might be composed of. ‘Do you ever hear anything of Mrs. Bell, Frank?” “T saw her to-day,” was Frank’s unexpected answer. ‘Saw her yesterday as well.” “Where did you see her? Is she in London?” quickly repeated Edina. ‘* They have come to live in London. She and Rosalin ‘* What has caused them to do that ? ” continued Edina quite sharply, as if she did not altogether approve of the information. Daisy’s fingers, tying her bonnet strings, could not have dropped more suddenly had they been seized with paralysis. “T’m sure I don’t know. They have come into money, through the comichooks.com