The Argosy — page 274: what you’re looking at

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

256 Lhe Master of Greylands. of my marrying him !—when we have grown up together like brother and sister! It would seem hardly proper. I like Harry very much indeed as a brother ; but as to marrying him, why I’d rather never be married at all. Here’s the carriage coming back! Mamma must have forgotten something.” | Mrs. Castlemaine got out of the carriage, and they heard her hold a colloquy with Flora. She came to the room, looking angry. ‘“‘Where’s Harry ?” she demanded, in the sharp, unkindly tones that so often grated on the ear of those offending her. ‘I was told he was here.” ‘He was here, mamma, until a minute or two ago,” said Ethel. “I think he is gone to Commodore Teague’s.” ‘“ He is like an eel,” was the pettish rejoinder. ‘ You never know when you have him. As to that vulgar, gossiping old Teague, that they make so much of and are always running after, I can’t think what they see in him.” ‘¢ Perhaps it is his gossip that they like,” suggested Ethel. ‘Well, I want Harry. He has been beating Flora.” ‘T don’t think he beat her, mamma,” “Oh you great story-teller!” exclaimed Flora, putting in her head. ‘¢ te shook me till all my bones rattled.” Mrs. Castlemaine shut the door with a click. And the next, they saw, was Miss Flora dressed in her best and going off with her mamma in the carriage. ‘With this injudicious treatment the child has hardly a chance to become better,” murmured Mary Ursula. ‘Ethel, have you a mind for a walk?” “Ves: with you.” They dressed themselves and started for the village, walking lightly over the crisp snow, under the clear, blue sky. Miss Castlemaine was bound for the Grey Nunnery; Ethel, protesting she would do no act or part towards helping her to enter it, went off to see some of the fisher- men’s wives on the cliff. Passing through the outer gate, Mary Ursula rang at the bell, and was admitted by Sister Phceby. A narrow passage took her into the hall. Opening from it on the left hand was a small room, plain and comfortable. It was called the reception parlour, but was the one usually sat in by the Grey Ladies: in fact, they had no other sitting- room that could be called furnished. Dinner was taken in a bare, bleak room, looking to the sea; it was used as the school-room, and contained only a table and some forms. Miss Castlemaine was shown into the reception parlour. Two of the ladies were in it: Sister Mar- garet writing, Sister Betsey making lint. An indication of Miss Castlemaine’s wish to join the Sisters had already reached the Nunnery, and they knew not how toomake enough ECoOMmicloooks (C(O) in —_)