The Argosy — page 280: what you’re looking at

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

ECORNICLOOO . 262 The Master of Greylands. from his seat, and was extending a hand to help the officer down from the roof, when he found himself called to a lady inside, who had been reconnoitring the inn, and the flaming dolphin on its sign-board. ‘‘ What place is this, guard?” ‘‘ Greylands, ma’am.” “That seems a good hotel.” ‘¢ It is a nice comfortable inn, ma’am.” ‘“‘T will get out here. Please see to my luggage.” The guard was surprised. He thought the lady must have made a mistake. | , ‘ This is not Stilborough, ma’am. You are booked to Stilborough.” ‘But I will not go on to Stilborough : I will descend here instead. See my poor child—‘ showing the hot face of a little girl who lay half asleep upon her knee. “She has, I fear, the fever coming on, and she is so fatigued. This 1s a healthy place; it has the sea, I perceive ; and I think she shall rest here for a day or two before going on.” The landlord and his wife had heard this colloquy, for the lady spoke at the open window. ‘They advanced, and the guard threw wide the door. ‘Will you carry my little one,” said the lady to Mrs. Bent. “I fear she is going to be ill, and I do not care to take her on further. Can I be accommodated with a good apartment here ?”’ ‘The best rooms we have, ma’am, are at your service; and you will find them excellent, though I say it that shouldn't,” returned Mrs. Bent, receiving the child into her arms. ‘“‘ Marie fatiguée,” called out, in a plaintive voice, the little thing, who seemed about three years old. ‘‘ Marie ne peut marcher.” The lady reassured her in the same language, and alighted. She was a tall, lady-like young woman of apparently some six-and-twenty years, with a pleasing face that wore signs of care, or weariness ; or perhaps both. Mrs. Bent carried the child into the parlour ; John followed with a large hand reticule made of plaited black-and-white straw, and the guard put two trunks in the passage. ‘T am en voyage,” said the lady, addressing Mrs. Bent—and it may be remarked that, though speaking English with fluency, and with very little foreign accent, she now and then substituted a French word, or a whole sentence, as though the latter were more familiar to her in every- day life—and of which John Bent and his wife did not understand a syllable. ‘‘ But we have voyaged far, and the sea crossing yesterday was rough, and I fear I have brought my little one on too quickly : so it may be well to halt here for a short time and keep her quiet. I hope your hotel 1s not crowded with company ?” ‘‘There’s nobody at all staying in it just now, ma’am,” said Mrs. Bent. ‘We don’t have many indoor visitors at the winter(season.” ‘ And this snow is not good,” said the stranger; ‘“‘ I mean not good SS (C(O) in —_)