The Argosy — page 284: what you’re looking at

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

268 Edina, comfortable feeling, in regard to it, remains still on his mind. I should not be surprised at the affair cropping up some day again.” The “morceau” came to an end with a last overwhelming crash, and the conversation with it. Frank woke up with a start, to see a man standing before him with a tray and some teacups uponit. He took one of the cups, and drank the scalding tea at a draught, not knowing whether it was hot or cold. The words, which he could not help overhearing, had startled all feeling out of him. “TIsit not time to go Daisy?” he asked presently. “If you think so,” she coldly answered. “ Then will you get your bonnet on, my dear,” he said, never no- ticing the ungracious nature of her reply. After those ominous words, all other words fell on his ear for the moment as though he heard them not. . Not a syllable was exchanged between them as they sat together in the cab, speeding homewards. Frank was too much absorbed in un- pleasant thought to speak; Daisy was indulging in resentment. That last sentence of Mr. Backup’s, “I should not be surprised at the affair cropping up again,” kept surging in his mind. He asked himself whether it was spoken prophetically : and, he also asked, what, if it did crop up, would be the consequences to himself? “He is thinking of Aer,” concluded Daisy, resenting the unusual silence, although she herself by her manner invoked it. And, in good truth, so he was. , Handing Daisy out of the cab when it stopped, Frank opened the surgery door for her, and turned to pay the driver. At that self-same moment some man came strolling slowly along the pavement. He was well wrapped up in a great coat, and seemed to be walking for pleasure. He looked at the cab, he looked at the open door of the house, he looked at Frank. Not apparently; not by dint of turning his head; but by sidelong glances directed all ways from his eyes. “Good night, Mr. Raynor,” said he at length, as he was passing. “ Good night to you,” replied Frank. And Mr. Blase Pellet sauntered on, enjoying the icicles of the winter night. Frank went in, and barred and bolted his door. “T wish to heaven it needed nothing but bars and bolts to keep the fellow out!” spoke Frank in his dismay. ‘ How long he will be kept out, I know not. Talk of whether the affair will crop up again !— why it is cropping up. And I have a bitter enemy in Blase Pellet.” ( Zo be continued.) comicbooks.com