The Argosy — page 101: what you’re looking at

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

THE ARGOSY. AUGUST, 1887, LADY GRACE. BY MRS. HENRY WOOD, AUTHOR OF “EAST LYNNE." —je-—__— CHAPTER XI. MYSTIFICATION. Csr BAUMGARTEN sat in his chambers, Pump Court, Temple, enjoying an animated discussion with his friend, Jephson, the great Chancery lawyer. About a week had gone by since Charles had come home from Circuit and held that momentous inter- view with Mary Dynevor which had been broken in upon by the Sub- dean. Mary had now gone, with some friends, to Brighton for change of air, and Charles was, so to say, a bachelor at large again. The change from despair to hope had so elated him that he had some what rashly likened it to Elysium. For on this morning, a matter had occurred not at all in harmony with the ease said to be the portion of the denizens of the Elysian Fields. A certain ugly-looking bill for eighty-one pounds, bearing Charles’s acceptance, had been presented to him for payment. Charles declined to pay it, on the ground that he had not accepted it. He repudiated the bill altogether. It was held by that eminent legal firm, Godfrey and Herbert Jephson ; the latter of whom had now come to Pump Court in person, bringing the bill with him. “‘T never saw it in my life until to-day,” protested Charles Baum- garten. ‘You have been imposed up: .” Mr. Jephson laughed. In days gone by, they had been very intimate at the University together, and had there formed a close friendship: though Herbert Jephson was the elder by some years. “Stuff and nonsense!” quoth he; “would you deny your own signature? Look at it.” ; Charles had looked enough at it, but looked again. “I don't deny that it’s a clever imitation, except in one particular, This is signed ‘C. Baumgarten:’ I always sign ‘Charles’ in full. Look over my notes to you, Jephson, should you have kept any, and see if I ever signed myself in any other way.” VOL. XLIV. joy GOCS comicbooks.com