The Argosy — page 378: what you’re looking at

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

360 The Missing Rubses. “ Here is Charles,” she said. ‘ He is coming up the drive ina fly. I wonder what brings him ?” “He is come on family business—he will explain it all to you,” replied Dorothy, nervously. ‘We have left it to him.” ‘Family business? ” repeated the Countess. ‘* Yes, yes ; come into the drawing-room, Caroline. He will have a great deal to say to you.” **You are all so fussy and formal,” said Caroline, rather crossly. ‘TJ daresay there is nothing in it, after all.” Canon Earle was as much like his sister Dorothy as it is possible for a man to be like a woman. He had the same purely cut features and soft white hair. His eyes were of the same clear grey as hers, but they were perhaps a little colder. He looked what he was—a church dignitary of the old school, clean-shaven, dainty and refined, with an old-fashioned courtliness of manner which always impressed people at once. Never was he anything but courtly, even when he said cutting “We have said nothing to Caroline yet,” murmured Dorothy, going up to him with evident nervousness. ‘We felt it would come best from you, Charles. Please prepare her at once.” If Canon Earle disliked his task, he did not shrink from it. He met the Countess with his usual charming smile. ‘“They have not told you the good news, Caroline,” he began, easily. ‘Your necklace has been found at last. Godwin, poor boy, is coming here presently, with some of his friends. He naturally wants to prove his innocence.” But the news did not seem good to the Countess. She turned rather pale, and there came an unpleasant glitter into her eyes. ‘* Those who hide can find, Charles,” she said, coldly. “Ah, but I fancy Godwin will succeed even in convincing you that he did not hide anything of yours. He is prepared with the plainest proofs. That old merchant—poor Grace’s father-in-law, you know—is coming with him.” “Old Corder!” cried Caroline, with horror. ‘In this house !” “Why not? He could rank as a merchant prince if he liked. My dear sister, this is a levelling age ; we can’t succeed in keeping people on their old standing-ground. But probably this will be his first and last visit. Do you know that he has taken Godwin into partnership ? ” ‘*Charles,” said the Countess, solemnly, “I can’t think how you can be so blind. People who are rich can afford to prove anything. I daresay Godwin has paid somebody to confess the theft. It is awful—disgraceful! He will come here with a set of false witnesses, and you, a clergyman, will give him your countenance !” There was something so dreadfully impressive in her look and tone, that Dorothy and Jane trembled. But the canon did not tremble in the least. comicbooks.com