The Argosy — page 171: what you’re looking at

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

The Missing Rubies. 159 the sight of this portrait, so like, and yet unlike, the man she loved with all the strength of her heart, her self-control almest deserted her. He had had just that look in his eyes when she had first seen him, standing on the line, exactly a year ago ! Miss Lindrick was watching her attentively. To a girl like Beatrice, she knew that the portrait would be atest. It must indeed be an uncommonly prosaic woman who can be quite unmoved by a like- ness taken in childhood of the man she loves. ‘Those soft lips, innocent of love-vows, how sweet they must have been! Even Alma, shallow-hearted as she was, had known some such thoughts. and feelings as these. “The blue hyacinth tints, mingling with the fresh green, are:so lovely,” Aunt Dorothy was saying. But she spoke to deaf ears. The girl’s eyes were shining with a feverish light.; -her breast was heaving. In another moment her emotion would have been made painfully evident, had not fate interposed in the shape of the Countess Gradizoff. Although she had a tall figure and regular features, the Countess was not like her sisters. About her there was more fulness and colour ; her gowns rustled as theirs never did ; her voice was louder and deeper-toned. She was considerably younger than Jane ; her hair was a dark iron-grey. She wore no cap, and had a fashionable dress, made in the latest style; but, handsome as she was, there was none of that old-world dignity and grace that made Dorothy and Jane so charming. She was a woman who loved pomp and show as well as they loved refinement and retirement. Her entrance had the effect of bringing Beatrice to her senses, Caroline Gradizoff was eager to see the future heiness, and greeted her with a gracious display of goodwill. She was keenly alive to Beatrice’s beauty, and made up her mind at once that the al was sure to be a great social success. There was something in those hard eyes, looking shrewily into hers, that nerved Beatrice to gather up her forces. She met the Countess with a quiet self-possession which rather surprised that domineering woman, who was accustomed to play the great lady in Fairbridge. Not one more glance did she venture to bestow on Godwin’s portrait ; and Alma, always furtively watching her, admitted that the girl had pulled herself together very well. The last shadow of a doubt was now removed from Miss Lindrick’s mind. She was quite convinced that Beatrice Ward loved Godwin Earle as deeply as ever woman loved. But was it a requited love? and were the pair only in the first stage of an attachment, or were they plighted lovers ? “She is absurdly romantic,” thought Alma contemptuously. “Let Mr. Redburn forbid her to have anything to say to Godwin and she will fling his fortune in his face. Heroics are. sae in her line.” comicbooks.com