The Argosy — page 84: what you’re looking at

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

74 The Missing Rubies. Christmas, But I should like to say a cheery word to him, and carry him some of the flowers you gave me.” They had just returned from one of their afternoon walks. And Godwin, looking into the sweet eyes of his betrothed, was in no mood to deny her anything. “Give him some flowers, dear, by all means,” he answered, with easy good-nature. ‘And run up and see him at dnce, before tea.” “I wish you would come with me,” she said, laying a little hand coaxingly-on his. ‘You know that I promised he should see you. Do come, Godwin.” So the two went upstairs together ; and Beatrice presented her gift of flowers and introduced her lover. Vordenberg greeted Earle with that quiet grace and stateliness which never failed to make an impression on those who met him. And Godwin—who was no bad judge of men and manners—could see at once that he was no ordinary man, “‘ There’s something quite princely about him,” Earle said after- wards to Beatrice. ‘What perfect breeding! I wonder what his history really is ?” “Harriet is always trying to persuade me that he has no history,” Beatrice remarked. ‘She thinks I’m too fond of making up romances about the people who take my fancy. But anyhow he is one of the loneliest beings in the world, and I like to think that the sight of us has done him good.” “The sight of you would do anybody good!” Godwin declared. And then he so far forgot the propriety required of him by Harriet, that he kissed Beatrice on the landing, just outside the drawing-room door. As the weeks went on, Mrs. Milton observed that although Madame Valerot received few visitors, she went out a great deal. At home she seemed to be generally engaged in writing letters, and nearly always posted them with her own hands. Certainly, she was one of the quietest and best of lodgers, giving little trouble, ex- pressing the warmest approval of all domestic arrangements, and winning the devotion of the servants by her unvarying sweetness of manner. She never once invited Beatrice to enter her room, and the girl was glad that the acquaintance was not to be kept up. If the two women chanced to meet in the hall or on the stairs, they exchanged a civil greeting and went their respective ways. But these meetings seldom took place. Madame had a latch-key, and glided in and out so very swiftly and quietly that somehow she was seldom to be seen. The new year advanced; April came, and Harriet’s little court- yard bloomed anew with spring flowers. Fashionable people were crowding into town again ; a brilliant season was predicted ; and all the old shows and gaieties were beginning once more. Beatrice was thinking how soon the Richmond meadows would be yellow with comicbooks.com