The Argosy — page 384: what you’re looking at

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

366 In a Dangerous Strait. the open piano, the books and pictures, and the vase of spring flowers which adorned the daintily spread tea-table. Near the window was a smaller table, strewed with the materials for embroidery ; and in a low chair beside the hearth, sat Mrs. Havi- land, a fair, refined, fragile-looking woman, with Gilbert’s soft brown eyes and wavy hair. * All in the dark, mother?” he said. ‘““Yes, dear; it is ‘blindman’s holiday,’” she answered, looking up with a smile. ‘Janet and I have been hard at work this afternoon, and Mr. Chasuble’s altar-cloth is nearly finished. Light the lamp, Jeanie, and let Gilbert see it.” “In a moment; I have not put myself to rights yet,” said Gilbert, as he left the room. Janet lit the lamp and stood for a moment looking absently at the fire: then spoke suddenly. ‘‘ Auntie, did you know that Gilbert had a secret ?” ** A secret, dear? What sort of secret?” ‘‘T don’t know, but I believe, from something in his manner, that M. de Fontenay is connected with it. I shall dislike that man more than ever if he is going to make Gilbert as reserved and mysterious as he is himself.” Mrs. Haviland smiled. ‘Poor M. de Fontenay! he is your béte noire, Jeanie. I must say you are rather unfair to him. So far from being mysterious, he seems to me particularly open and communicative. That is his ring,” she added, as there was a sum- mons at the front door; “now do, dear, try to be civil to him for once.” There was a sound of voices in the hall, and Gilbert entered, dressed for the evening, ushering in de Fontenay. He was a tall and strikingly distinguished looking man of three or four and thirty, with a clear olive complexion, a black moustache, and handsome bold dark eyes. He spoke English with the fluency of a native, and bore himself with the well-bred ease of a thorough man of the world, As Janet noticed his cordial manner to Gilbert, and the gentle deference with which he greeted Mrs. Haviland, she felt halfashamed of her unreasonable antipathy; but it returned, strongly as ever, directly the bold dark eyes were turned upon her with that look of suppressed but passionate admiration which she resented as a tacit insult. At the tea-table Janet scarcely spoke to him, keeping her eyes obstinately bent another way. He addressed his conversation chiefly to her companions, but she could see him watching her covertly, under his long dark lashes. When the tray had been removed, he produced a folio he had brought with him, and unclosing it, showed that it contained a number of large mounted photographs. “T want you, Haviland, when you have leisure,” he said, “to. do comicbooks.com