The Argosy — page 111: what you’re looking at

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

The Village Blacksmith. G9 her father sometimes left them alone, and Mark always seized the opportunity to press his suit. ‘* Janet,” he said, regardless of grammar, on one of these occasions : “JT have got something since you went away—something very precious.—I have got religion !” ‘‘ I am very glad to hear it, Mark,” ‘‘And salvation, Janet,” continued Mark, his face glowing with a passion which was scarcely religious in its nature, in spite of the prize he had won. “TI hope you are happy,” said Janet sadly ; “for I suppose if we have certainly gained salvation, we have gained more than the whole world can give.” ‘‘ Happy! No, Iam not. I want something better than religion and more precious to me than salvation. I want you, Janet, and I shall never know what happiness means till I have you.” “I wish you would not talk so, Mark,” said Janet uneasily, glancing at the tall grandfather’s clock which stood in the corner, and wondering when Reuben, who had gone to fetch some milk for supper, would return, She was sitting working by the light of a cheap lamp, which stood on the kitchen table. At the opposite corner of it sat Mark glaring at her, his ugly face propped up by his left hand, the elbow of which rested on his knee. His right arm was stretched across the table, and he brought it down with a bang as he answered Janet’s last remark. ‘“Why should not I talk soe This is a free country, and surely if a man loves a girl, he is free to tell her so?” ‘‘ Mind the lamp, Mark,” said Janet, for his violent action shook the gimcrack little lamp. “ What do I care for the lamp? What do I care for anything in this world but you? It is you I long for; you I dream of night and day; you I live for; you I will have in spite of your pride,” exclaimed Mark, working himself into a fury. “‘I am not proud,” said Janet. “Then do as I want you; be my wife, and let us have done with this shilly-shallying. Will you, Janet?” And, as he spoke, he rose and tried to put his arm round Janet’s waist; but she shrank from him as if he were a leper, rising hastily from her chair and moving towards the door. Mark stretched across the table to stop her, and in so doing, acci- dentally or not will never be known, knocked over the lamp, which broke, the oil caught fire, and the flames barred Janet’s progress and drove her screaming back towards Mark. What action he would have taken next cannot be recorded, for just then the door opened, and Reuben entered. Quick as thought he emptied the contents of his milk-can upon the flames, and tearing off his thick pea-jacket, threw it over the burning oil and finally trod out the fire. It all happened so quickly, that on looking back upon COnmicloooel —_— SS (CO