The Argosy — page 127: what you’re looking at

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

Margaret Rymer. 115 and release her; she only asked him whether he had any intention of returning ; and, if so, when: and she gave him in simple words the history of her acquaintanceship with Mr. Sale, and said that he wanted her.to go out with him to the Bahamas. To this letter Margaret had not received any answer. She therefore concluded that it had either not reached her brother, or else that he did not mean to return at all to Timberdale : and so she gave up all hopes of it. “ Life is not very long, Margaret, and God has placed usin it to do the best we can in all ways; for Him first, for social obligations after- wards. But He has not meant it to be all trial, all self-denial. If you and I part now, the probability is that we part for ever. Amid the world’s chances and changes we may never meet again, howsoever much our wills might prompt it.”’ ‘*’True,” she faintly answered. “And I say that you ought not to enforce this weighty penance upon me and yourself. It is for your brother’s sake, as I look upon it, that you are making the sacrifice, and itis he, not you, who ought to be here. Why did he go away? ” “I never knew,” said Margaret, lifting her truthful face to her lover’s- ‘‘ Benjamin was at home, and so steady and good as to be a comfort: to papa; when quite suddenly he left without giving a reason. Papa seemed to be in trouble about it—it was but a few days before he died—and I have thought that, perhaps, poor Benjamin was unex-- pectedly called upon to pay some Gent or other, and could not find the money to do it. He had A loud bang of the entrance door, and a noisy burst into the room, proclaimed the return of Mrs. Rymer. Her mass of scarlet curls garnished her face on either side, like a couple of drooping bushes,. looking particularly incongruous with her widow’s cap and bonnet. Mr. Sale, rising to hand her a chair, explained that he was asking Margaret to make her decision. “It has been made,” returned Mrs. Rymer, disregarding the offered. chair, and standing to hold her boots,-one after the other, to the fire. ‘‘ Margaret can’t go, Mr. Sale, and you know it.” ‘‘ But I wish her to go: and she wishes it.” “It’s a puzzle to me what on earth you can see in her,” cried Mrs. Rymer, flinging her grey muff on the table, and untying her black bonnet- strings to tilt the bonnet half-way off her head. ‘“‘ Margaret won’t have any money. Not a penny piece.” “T am not thinking about money,” replied the curate ; who somehow could never keep his temper long in the presence of this strong-minded Amazon. “It is Margaret that I want ; not money.” ‘ And it’s Margaret, then, that you can’t have,” she retorted. “ Who is to keep the shop on if she leaves it ?—it can’t go to rack and ruin.” ‘© T see you serving in it yourself sometimes,” ECOMICOOOKS. CO