The Argosy — page 58: what you’re looking at

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

48 MOLLY AT THE “ MITRE.” a WELL Molly, do you like it?” “It is perfectly lovely?” * Beyond your dreams?” ‘Far and away!” Molly had her elbows on the window-sill of the ladies’ coffee-room at the “Mitre,” and was looking down upon the High for the first time in her life. It was between three and four in the afternoon, and Lady Bussell’s party were resting, after a morning of sight-seeing and a lively lunch, before starting on the second part of their pro- gramme: a tea party at Mr. Hayward’s rooms, “ the Boats,” and the Féte at Worcester. They had the room pretty much to themselves, for nearly everyone was hurrying down to the river for the afternoon procession of boats, which Lady Bussell had interdicted with a view to keeping her girls fresh for the evening. She had found the current number of Mayfair, and was sleeping peacefully behind it, conscious that Harry Hayward “ meant something ” with Molly, and that the chicken salad and light hock of the ‘‘ Mitre” were unsurpassable. Flo Bussell, who had a mania for improving her mind, had found a guide book, and was cramming up information to be produced at the tea party. Mr. Hayward had been lunching with them, but had at last torn himself away from Molly’s neighbourhood : conscious that his rooms required a considerable amount of righting before they could be pronounced ready for the reception of a distinguished party of ladies. Only Jack and Molly, brother and sister, and niece and nephew to Lady Bussell, seemed to find the humours of the High inexhaustible. Jack leant against the frame of the window and looked down with somewhat supercilious approval at his pretty sister. Every now and then he thought fit to reprove her, or give her a hint about /s con- uenances. “Sit back, Molly; I won’t have those fellows staring at you.” ‘* What fellows?” Molly sat back obediently for an instant, then slipped forward into her place. ‘Those two boys? why, they can’t see up here. And if they did, Jack, they are mere children!” “Sit back, I tell you,” Jack growled. ‘ You’re much too pr—too conspicuous in that white frock. That little idiot Dacres of New was making eyes at you with all his might!” “Was he?” Molly asked. ‘I didn’t know ; I thought he squinted dreadfully. Very well, Jack, I'll drag my chair ina bit.” And she pushed it the very smallest appreciable fraction from the window. Parties of men passed and repassed below. Families of girls and ~ mothers, with brothers and friends in attendance, turned down the comicbooks.com