The Argosy — page 123: what you’re looking at

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

Margare Ryimer. III “What were you saying about me?” asked Mr. Sale, drawing forward the chair, and giving me a nod in his short way. “I came to tell you how ill Jael Batty is. I’m not sure she'll get over it.” ‘‘QOh,” said the Rector, in a slighting tone, as if Jael Batty had no right to intrude herself into more momentous conversation. ‘“ Batty is careless and indifferent in her duties, and makes her deafness an excuse for not coming to church. [I'll try to see her in the course of the day. We were speaking of Miss Rymer.” Herbert Tanerton, I believe, had people’s welfare at heart: but he had a cold way of saying things that seemed to take all the kindness out of his words. If once he considered it was his duty to tell a fellow of his faults, tell he did, face to face, in the most uncompromising manner. He had decided that his duty lay with Mr. Sale, to-day, and he began to hold forth without ceremony. The curate did not seem to bein the least put out but talked back again, quietly and freely. I sat balancing the tongs over the fender, and listening. ‘‘Miss Rymer is not my equal, you say,” observed Sale. “I don’t know that. Her father was a curate’s son: I am a curate’s son. Circumstances, it would seem, kept Mr. Rymer down in the world. Perhaps they will keep me down: I cannot tell.” ‘“‘But you are a gentleman in position, a clergyman: Rymer served customers,” retorted Mr. Tanerton, harping upon that béte noire of his, the chemist’s shop. ‘‘Can’t you perceive the difference? A gentle- man ought to be a gentleman.” ‘‘Thomas Rymer was a gentleman, as I hear, in mind and manners and conduct ; educated, courteous, and ” ‘He was one of the truest gentlemen I ever met,” I could not help putting in, though it interrupted the curate. ‘For my part, when speaking with him, I forgot the counter.” ‘¢ And a true Christian, I was about to say,” added Mr. Sale. ‘Your acceptance of this chaplaincy depends upon Miss Rymer ?” “Yes,” said Sale readily. “If she will go with me—my wife—I shall accept it ; if she will not, I remain at home.” ‘¢ Margaret is as nice as her father was,” I said. ‘ Were I you, Mr. Sale, I should just take her out of the place,.and end it.” ‘¢ But if she won’t come with me,” said he with a half smile. ‘She is wanted at home,” observed Herbert Tanerton, casting a severe look at me with his cold light eyes. Sale interposed. ‘‘The son should be at home to attend to things. It is his place to be, not ns sisters. He is inclined to be wild, it is said, and is given to roving.” ‘‘Wildness is not Benjamin Rymer's worst fault, or roving either,” cried the Rector in his hardest voice, though he dropped it to a low key. And forthwith he opened the ball, and told the unfortunate story in a very few words. I let fall the tongs with a clatter. CORNICE OOS (GO) va)