The Argosy — page 177: what you’re looking at

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

The Missing Rubies. 165 overbearing woman, who had driven Godwin away from the shelter ot his old home. She was heartily glad when Alma rose to say good-bye. Aunt’ Jane’s placid face was not quite as calm as usual when she saw them depart. Her gentle old heart was disquieted within her that day. The two young women went almost in silence across the velvet lawn, although Olga, who accompanied them, chattered gaily until they reached the shrubbery gate. Then, with many adieux, she ran back to the house, and Alma and Beatrice were left in the perfumed gloom of the laurel walk. ‘“‘T am sure you are tired, poor child,” said Miss Lindrick at last. “Do you want to go indoors just yet? Mr. Redburn is on the watch, I fear. Let us go and sit in the old summer-house at the bottom of the garden ; it is a nice cushiony place, and you can rest there.” Beatrice was afraid that she was destined to hear some unpleasant things in that old summer-house. Of course, Alma shared the belief in Godwin’s guilt. But she could not very well refuse the invitation ; and so, slowly and gravely, she accompanied Miss Lindrick down the long garden path. The little bower, with its conical thatched roof and rough wooden’ walls, was wreathed with ivy and flowering creepers. ‘Through an opening in the larches that grow thickly here, you could catch a glimpse of a church spire, and the slopes of distant hills: a fair pic- ture, delicately framed in quivering foliage. All around the arbour, the sweet common flowers of early summer were in the freshest bloom: great velvety pansies; bloody-warriors standing up in stiff ranks ; flowering currant-bushes scenting the air with their delicious country fragrance. It was a pleasant nook to rest in on a sunny afternoon ; but Beatrice’s throbbing pulses were at war with repose. The summer-house was cushioned as Alma had said, but her companion was in no mood to recognise its comforts. She seated herself, and looked absently at the larch-boughs, showing their fine outlines against the fair sky. “Poor Godwin Earle,” said Alma, breaking the silence in a gentle voice ; “ he is an acquaintance of yours, is he not?” ‘*T know him very well,” was the somewhat curt reply. “ Ah, I remember seeing him with you and some friends of yours. But, of course, I did not know that you were intimate with him, His ‘ aunts do not like talking about him much, poor fellow! I fancy he has given the old ladies a perpetual heartache.” ‘I can’t believe that the Countess Gradizoff has ever had a heart- ache,” replied Beatrice, coldly; ‘and Miss Earle and Miss Jane seemed very comfortable, I thought.” ‘ “You do not know them as well as I do,” Alma said, mournfully. ‘‘T have seen them suffer a great deal on his account. But I am the last person in the world to be hard on Godwin. He was very dear to me once, and I was his first love.” comichooks.com