The Argosy — page 78: what you’re looking at

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

48 CHRISTOBEL. By Joyce DARRELL, AUTHOR OF “ THE SAPPHIRE Cross.” I. HE inhabitants of Fernholme were much excited on hearing that the beautiful Christobel Fane was coming on a visit to Mr. Hillyer’s family at the Hall. At the beginning of the London season she had suddenly appeared under the wing of Mr. Hillyer’s eccentric and wealthy maiden sister, Miss Millicent, who was always doing odd things. And one of the oddest, or at any rate most unexpected, things she had ever done was to adopt Miss Fane. She had never been fond of young people, and was the last person in the world whom one would have suspected of self-sacrifice. She detested “society ”—so called : that is, a round of balls and parties, of afternoon teas and tennis-matches ; and for years had never shown her grim but handsome face in one of them. But with the advent of Miss Fane everything was changed. Miss Millicent industriously renewed old and half-forgotten relations ; called upon people whom she had not seen for a quarter of a century ; and finally gave a large and brilliant ball herself. At this Miss Fane’s beauty made a sensation. After it, she was asked “everywhere.” Some very exalted personages admired her, and this lucky circumstance sealed the lips of the invidious, and killed all awkward wondering as to her origin. The mystery surrounding her—and there undoubtedly was one— seemed only to make her more charming ; especially as she was as highbred-looking and refined as she was lovely. She was absolutely silent always as to her birth and parentage ; and her manner did not invite interrogation. Miss Millicent curtly explained to one or two irrepressible cross-examiners, that Christobel was the daughter of an old friend who had died abroad in poverty and solitude, consequent upon the bad behaviour of a worthless husband; and when the questioners did not seem satisfied, the old lady calmly ignored their discontent. Of course people smiled and whispered and conjectured a little, at first ; but after a while their curiosity languished for want of nourishment. Miss Hillyer’s strong will imposed itself on her acquaintance ; and the various rumours were crystallised into a dozen romantic stories, to each one of which there was somebody willing to testify. It so happened that Miss Millicent’s own family were among the last to make Christobel’s acquaintance. The ancestral home of the Hillyers was in Yorkshire, and Miss Millicent for years had never crossed its threshold. The death of Mrs. Hillyer, five years before this story begins, had furnished an ostensible reason for closing the COMIC OOlKS.CO