The Argosy — page 30: what you’re looking at

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

18 The Village Blacksmith. Norah, suiting the action to the word, as she wiped the soap-suds off her hands, and with arms a-kimbo, actually paused from her solemn rites to gaze at Rex, the motherly instinct in her getting the better of the laundress. ‘I'll have nothing to do with it,” she added. “Yes, you will, Norah. You will do all I want youtodo. You never denied me anything yet, and you are not going to begin that game when the happiness of my life and of someone else’s too de- pends on your help,” said Rex, very quietly but very decidedly. Norah knew from experience that when Rex spoke in that tone no amount of persuasion or argument would turn him from his purpose. She knew it would end in her doing his bidding, though she had at present no idea what that bidding was, But she determined not to yield without a struggle. ‘¢T wish with all my heart I had denied you more when you were a child; you would have been a much better man if I had. And, look you here, Master Rex ; a girl who isn’t a lady will no more satisfy you six months after you are married than any other laundress but me will satisfy my customers.” “Tl risk that. Listen, Norah,” said Rex, throwing down his cigar and rising to his feet, but still speaking in the tone Norah feared to hear: ‘‘I am in love as [ told you, and the girl is not what gentlefolk call a lady; but I am going to marry her the week after next, and I shall marry her from your cottage.” ‘Do you mean from here, sir?” said Norah, seizing upon the details before she attempted to deal with the main fact of this be- wildering statement. ‘*No; I mean from your new home. You move next Saturday, don’t you? Well, the following Saturday my bride will arrive to stay with you. You will bring her up to London, and I shall marry her on Monday morning and take her over to France for a week. I can’t spare longer because I sail this day month. I go to London to- morrow to get my outfit and the license, and to make all the necessary arrangements. Do go on washing, Norah, instead of staring at me,” said Rex irritably, for Norah’s attitude was so abnormal a one for washing-day that he half feared her mental attitude might also be unusual: in which case he would not be able to wring the consent he counted on from her. ‘‘ Washing is one thing, Mr. Rex, and a very serious thing, too, when you look at it in a proper light, and think of all the re- sponsibility it lays upon you. But marrying is another matter, and a deal more serious. I should not do myself any credit with that linen tili I hear a little more about this business. Who is the girl, sir? An artful, good-for-nothing minx, I’ll be bound.” ‘Take care, Norah. ‘The girl is your niece, Janet Foreman; and if you'll be kind enough to show me a more beautiful, or a better, or a sweeter woman, I’ll marry her and forsake Janet, though it would break her heart.” conniclooolkks CO