The Argosy — page 108: what you’re looking at

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

96 Lady Grace. write down one or two points, if you will give me pen-and-ink, to which your attention must be chiefly directed, and then if you think you can master them, I’ll mention you to the solicitors.” “If your lordship will be at the trouble of sitting to my desk, you will find all you require at hand,” said Charles, rising to pilot him to it. Down sat the Bishop and wrote rapidly for five minutes. “ Have you some blotting-paper ? ” he asked. “The blotting-pad is under the paper you are writing upon,” ex- plained Charles, and the Bishop drew it out. Bending his head, he stared at it through his spectacles. Then, turning his severe face to Charles, he spoke in a tone that ought to have annihilated him. “Do you give this to me to use, sir?” Charles advanced quickly, looked and stood confounded with vexation. On the blotting-pad, white and clean, for the top sheet must have been taken off, was a fancy drawing in pen-and-ink, bold, clear and well done, of half-a-dozen ballet girls in very airy cos- tumes. The colour flew to Charles’s face; he knew what the Bishop was. What on earth, would he judge, must be his private pastimes, if he could adorn his professional desk with such sketches, and set a Bishop down to regale his eyes with them ? Charles tore off the sheet in a heat. ‘TI assure you, my lord, on my word of honour, that I know not how those—those things came there. Some one must have been here last night unknown to me, and taken the liberty to leave a remembrance behind him.” ‘Allow me to recommend you to burn it, sir,” said the scandal- ised divine. “Yes, but I will first of all endeavour to identify the offender,” was - Charles’s answer. Up rose the Bishop, his head erect, and his apron rustling. Charles attended him down the stafrs, but his lordship did not shake hands with him. Back tore Charley, two stairs at a time. Joe’s mother, who lived near at hand, and came in to attend to the work at stated times, was then removing the breakfast-things. ‘* Were you here last night while Joe was out, Mrs. Tuff?” “Yes, sir. I had some cleaning . ‘““Who came in?” interrupted Charles. ‘* Nobody came, sir: not a single soul.” ‘‘Who has been into this room this morning?” continued Charles. ‘Only me, sir, to put it to rights.” “Did you do this, then?” asked Mr. Baumgarten, pushing the sheet of blotting-paper under her eyes. “Me!” cried Mrs. Tuff, who was a sharp-faced little woman in a neat stuff gown and white cap. “You must be joking, sir. When I saw it there in dusting, I thought what odd looking ladies they was. And I put the writing-paper upon ’em, to cover ’em up a bit.” comicbooks.com