The Argosy — page 367: what you’re looking at

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

The Missing Rubies. 349 side, where the Miltons and Mr. Corder were awaiting them. Beatrice watched the river with a fixed, dreamy gaze, scarcely seeing the gay little boats that darted along, scarcely heeding the chance lights flashing on its tide. Foreboding clouds were far away; the world was full of happy promises. Godwin was hers, and she was his. Nothing could ever part them again. When they reached the elder people, the girl stole up to Mr. Corder’s side, and drew him gently away from the rest. ‘Tf Godwin is to be your son,” she said, “you will let me be your daughter, will you not? I will try to be all that you wish. I am not always proud and wayward as I was with Mr. Redburn. And I do want you to feel that I really love you.” The old man, who had had so many losses, looked into that fresh face, and felt that life had something in store for him yet. “My dear,” he answered, “I have already given you a daughter’s place in my heart, and I thank God for your love. You and Godwin are sent to brighten the last years of a lonely man. We shall spend many happy days together, I believe, before I am called away. It is my wish that you shall be married very soon. But you must settle that with Godwin.” ‘What is that which she must settle with me?” asked Earle, coming up with a brightness that was new in him. “I think I can guess. Do you know, Beatrice, that Mr. Corder has already found a house that he says will suit us very well. You must take house- keeping lessons of Mrs. Milton without delay.” “She shall begin to-morrow,” declared Harriet, firmly. ‘‘ Her weak point is—dinner! She must learn to order things, and take an interest in the cookery-book.” “‘ And she must acquire all the necessary knowledge as quickly as possible,” said Mr. Corder, with a smile. ‘It will not take long to get the house ready.” ‘You frighten me,” said Beatrice, running off to Richard Milton. And putting her hand within his arm, she asked in a whisper whether he were very anxious to send her away ? His answer dimmed the blue eyes for a moment with happy tears. And then, a straggling party, they all walked down-hill to the railway Station, in the evening glow of that lovely day. CHAPTER XXIx. AT MEADOW HOUSE. One morning, when Meadow House and its grounds were bathed in the sunny calm of early day, Aunt Dorothy came out of her sleeping- room with a disturbed face. She paused as she passed a corridor window, thickly framed in ivy, comicbooks.com