The Argosy — page 79: what you’re looking at

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

Christobel. 49 Hall to visitors, and keeping the young people out of society. For the first time since his bereavement, Mr. Hillyer had invited down some men to shoot, and some ladies to amuse them in the hours not devoted to sport. To his great surprise, and not largely to his pleasure, a letter had arrived, one moming, from Miss Millicent, proposing that she and her protégée should join the party. Mr. Hillyer could not refuse, of course; a wealthy maiden sister, even when avaricious—and Miss Millicent, towards everybody but Christobel, showed herself deeply avaricious—is not to be treated cavalierly. Nevertheless, the Squire felt that the visit was ill-timed. And his eldest daughter—the gentle Geraldine—could also have wished that it might have been made later. She would not have admitted it for the world. She would hardly even confess it to her own inmost soul; yet she dreaded Christobel Fane’s arrival. Might not the beauty win from her the thing she most valued on earth—the prize she dared not yet call her own—Godfrey Verschoyle’s love ? Godfrey had not yet frankly declared himself ; so how could she be sure of his feelings? She was no born coquette, confident of her unfailing power to please ; but a timid girl, unused to the ways of the world, and with a far too humble opinion of herself. The consequence was that she felt very uneasy as she sat silent among her visitors, on the afternoon of the day when Miss Millicent was expected. A lively group of ladies, some young and pretty, all fashionable and well-dressed, were assembled in the library of the Hall; and their spirits had just gone up considerably on the advent of three or four gentlemen. A hopelessly wet afternoon had sent the shooters home early ; and a few of these had gathered round the tea- table instead of betaking themselves to the smoking-room and billiards. Among these was Godfrey Verschoyle—a tall, handsome young man, with the frankest face possible. He looked as unlikely to be per- fidious as anybody on this globe; and his eyes often rested linger- ingly on the graceful golden head of Geraldine Hillyer. She sat on a low seat by the fire, her own eyes, for the most part, intently fixed on the flames. She was conscious of her lover’s glance, yet too self-tortured to respond to it quite happily. “They ought soon to be here now,” said Mrs. Chisholm, who, being a quasi-youthful widow, freshly emerged from her weeds, and still very pretty, was also much preoccupied about Miss Fane’s arrival. “I wonder if I shall be disappointed? It is really dreadful to live so much out of the world as I have done lately. One misses so many charming things! Captain Verschoyle, have you, like every one else, been enslaved by Miss Fane?” ‘‘] have never seen her,” said Godfrey. ‘ Last season I was notin London.” “True. You were travelling round the world. By the way, were you not in the Rocky Mountains with Edward Meredyth ? ” “Kor a time—yes.” VOL. XL. E GOMMGIO@ S (CO) ™