The Argosy — page 277: what you’re looking at

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

The Master of Greylands. 259 “‘T have said lately, Sister Mildred, that you ought to change your room,” cried Sister Margaret. “In this one you are sometimes ex- posed to a sharp breeze.” “Cheese?” returned the deaf lady, mistaking the word. “Bread and cheese! By all means order it into the parlour if Miss Castlemaine would like some. Dear me, I am very remiss !” “No, no,” returned Sister Margaret, laughing at the mistake, and speaking in her ear, “I only suggested it might be better for your deafness 1f you exchanged this room for a warmer one.” “Is that all! Then why did you mention cheese? No, no; I am not going to change my room. I like this one. And what does Miss Castlemaine say ?” , Mary stood at the casement window. The grand, expansive sea lay — below and around. She could see nothing else. An Indiaman was sailing majestically in the distance; on the sails of one of the fishing boats, dotting the surface nearer, some frosted snow had gathered and was sparkling in the sunshine. There she stood, reflecting. ‘‘ For the sake of constantly enjoying this scene of wondrous beauty, it would be almost worth while to come, let alone other inducements !” she exclaimed mentally in her enthusiasm. ‘As to acceding to their wish of taking the lead, I believe it 1s what I should like, what I am fitted for.” And when she quitted Sister Mildred’s room she left her promise of acceptation within it. Meanwhile an unpleasant adventure had just happened to Ethel. Her visits to the wives of the fishermen on the cliff concluded, and seeing no sign yet of Mary Ursula’s leaving the Nunnery, she thought she would make a call on Mrs, Bent, and wait there. She arrived at an inopportune moment. Mr. and Mrs. Bent were enjoying a. dispute. It appeared that a letter had been delivered at the inn that morning, addressed to Anthony Castlemaine: the third letter that had come for him since his disappearance. The two first bore the postmark of Gap, this one the London post-mark, and all were addressed in the same. handwriting. Mrs. Bent had urged her husband to hand over the others to the Master of Greylands: she was now urging the like as to this one. John Bent, though in most matters under his wife’s finger and thumb, had wholly refused to listen to her: he should keep the letters in his own safe custody, he said, until the writer, or some one nearly connected with Mr. Anthony over the water, appeared to claim them. Mrs. Bent was unable to stir his decision: since the fatal night connected with the Fnar’s Keep, she could but notice that John had altered. He was more silent than of yore; minded her less and maintained his own will better: which was. ofcourse not an agree- able change to Mrs. Bent. COMICIOOOKS.COM —