The Argosy — page 385: what you’re looking at

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

Beatrix. 365 gravely and kindly. ‘Am J to tell the mother all about it for you; or has Dudley ‘Oh no, no,” exclaimed Felicia quickly, forgetting her dignity at this point, and dissolving into tears. ‘“‘ Of course he would not, until you had given me my freedom. Oh, Curzon dear, if you wou/d but speak to Aunt Agnes, she will be so—and you know I am sorry, but I could not help it, and—and—you are not angry with me Curzon, are you?” ‘¢No, I am not in the least angry with you,” Curzon answered, kiss- ing with unusual warmth her upturned face ; after which she went away to her own sitting-room, well content with the success of her inter- view. When she had gone her grave cousin strangely and most suddenly disappeared, leaving a young man standing in his shoes who, with a radiant face and triumphant air, flung his cigar to the winds, while he exclaimed rapturously : “I am free: I will go this moment and tell Beatrix.” It was almost touching to witness the ecstatic manner in which he ran down the steps of that famous balcony, and made off through the park towards Fenton, utterly oblivious of the fact that he was minus his hat. He strode along under the grand old oaks with his handsome Saxon head erect, exulting fondly over thishappy change that had come to pass in his life. And then he fell to picturing Beatrix as mistress at Stainers, running here and there with her bonny gipsy face, and happy voice, and changeful, loving ways. As he arrived so far in his blissful day-dreams, he reached the low wall that bounded Miss Falkland’s shrubberies, and having vaulted it, walked along by the tiny half-hidden pathway that led to the public avenue, where, in the distance, he heard the sound of lowered voices. He was effectually sheltered from view himself by a huge overgrown laurel, that rose most opportunely before him ; but of that he thought not. Raising his eyes suddenly towards the spot from whence the sounds emanated, a few yards beyond him on the gravelled walk, he saw—ah! what was it he saw ?—not Beatrix, not the girl he so truly loved, in the arms of an utter stranger? He started as though he had been struck, and, though as honourable a fellow as ever lived, he found that it was beyond his power to stir from the spot. He paused spell-bound, chilled to the heart’s core. Beatrix was speaking ; and if it had been to save his life he could not have moved a limb. “So that is all settled, then,” Trixie said,in her usual soft wooing voice ; “and now I am afraid, my darling, you must go.” ‘‘T am afraid so,” the tall stranger answered, tightening! his arm affectionately round her; ‘it has been a wretchedly short visit, has it COMIC OOOKS. EO in —_)