The Argosy — page 74: what you’re looking at

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

64 Richard Van Werter. «¢ And you have none,” said Roy ; “are you always so generous, Miss Van Werter?”’ She gave him a swift glance, but before she could speak, Dr. Van Werter interposed. “ Not another moment in that dress, Gertrude. I order dry clothing at once. I am your guardian for the present, and you must obey.” She hesitated, as though half inclined to rebel, but, meeting his authoritative gaze, flushed and turned away with evident annoyance. ‘¢ As you please,” she said. At the foot of the stairs some one touched her sleeve lightly. Turn- ing, she saw Roy Gilbert standing close behind her. ‘‘T beg your pardon,” he said, “will you take these?” He held a little basket filled with the pure, white lilies that she loved. ‘‘T got them myself this morning,” he explained. “I thought no one cared for them as I did, andsoI kept them in my room. Will you take them ?” She took the little basket with a smile. ‘“ Thank you,” she said, simply; “and you?” ‘¢T have this.” She did not blush or look conscious, as another woman might have done when he showed her the little brown bud. she had given him in the drawing-room. She looked at him with a little shadow of wonder- ment on her face, and that was all. “Do you really care for thate” she said, as a child might have done. “It will bloom to-morrow, and may be the finest one of all.” ‘‘T hope so,” he answered: and then, as she turned, he looked at her with a pleading look on his handsome face. ‘“ To-morrow? Will you let me row you on the pond to-morrow at sunset ? I know you like being there, and you may not go alone.” She hesitated a moment. ‘I cannot promise,” she said ; “ Richard may not like me to go;” and then, seeing his disappointment, she looked back over her shoulder. “ I'll not promise,” she added, smiling this time, ‘*‘ but I think we can go.” The Van Werters were of Dutch extraction, but had settled in Eng- land. Richard was a clever physician: and his cousin had come to them on her mother’s death: come to him and his sisters. Just now they had visitors with them. The next evening, at sunset, Roy Gilbert sat in the boat, waiting for Gertrude. Lying lazily back with his hat over his eyes and his arms folded under his head, listening to the little plash and ripple of the water against the sides of the boat, he was doing something unusual in this generation—thinking earnestly and intently—and his thoughts were all of a white-robed woman with shining hair; that lovely, girk who had looked back and smiled at him over her shoulder the night before. CORNICLOOO SS (C(O) —_)