The Argosy — page 32: what you’re looking at

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

20 The Village Blacksmith. Master Rex. You are going to do wrong, and I suppose I shall have to help you, more shame for me. Though where the sin lies, for the life of me I can’t see,” said Mrs. Canter, leaving the soap-suds for the blueing-tub, from which new position, facing Rex, she proceeded to wring out the contents as she spoke. Wringing is an art, which, like many other arts, appears extremely easy until you try it, and Rex, as he watched the ease with which she wrung the blue-water out of the heavy linen, was not aware how many weaker wrists than Norah’s would have been sprained with such labour. ‘‘ Of course you can’t see it, Norah. There is no sin in it; it is only a breach of conventional humbug,” said Rex. ‘“ Janet will make me a far better wife than a fine lady would; the life in Manitoba is a hard one. What use would a lady be to me out there? I want someone who can rough it a little. I shall probably settle there for years, if not for life. Fortunes are not made by farming in a day ; and I don’t suppose anyone out there is likely to ask who Janet’s father is. She is quite as well educated as any women we are likely to meet, and I can teach her still more during the winter.” ‘¢ All that is very true, sir, and as for a better or a more innocent- minded girl than Janet, you might go half the world over and not find her, not to mention her good looks. And handsome she is, it ever there was a handsome woman. But still, Master Rex, we are going to do wrong, and you may depend upon it we shall both suffer for it sooner or later.” “Let us hope it will be later, then,” said Rex, with that disregard of consequences common to young people when their present happi- mess is at stake. ‘‘T don’t mean to take Janet out till I have got a home for her,” he continued ; “ and that won't be for a year to come, at the earliest. Then I shall write to my father and Reuben, and send the money for her outfit and passage. Till then Janet can live with her father, whom she is very loth to leave, and no one but you and Janet and I will be any the wiser.” Mrs, Canter paused in her occupation of wringing out a sheet to gaze in amazement at her visitor, on hearing this plan ; for she saw a grave objection to it, arid one she had a difficulty in suggesting to Rex, since it apparently had not occurred to him. ‘** Do you mean Reuben is not to know she is married till you send for her?” she asked. “Yes. If Reuben knew it, he would tell my father, and think he was doing his duty; and if it reached my father’s ears, he would stop the supplies, and I must have capital. He has promised me five hundred pounds now, and another five hundred pounds this time next year; till I get the second sum my marriage must be kept a secret.” ‘I understand, Master Rex; but you see, sir, when people are conniclooolkks CO