The Argosy — page 158: what you’re looking at

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

148 Parkwater. like my own sons, having nursed them as boys, and watched them grow up; and if I do open my mouth now, it 1s because I think his interests demand that I should.” “Why, what is it?” inquired Mr. Lyvett, in surprise. ‘You know that May has got his daughter at home, sir?” ““May? Down-stairs? I know nothing about it. What if he has?” ‘She is a woman grown now, and a very handsome one. Plays and sings like a professional, they say, and “ Plays and sings!” echoed Mr. Lyvett, bursting into a laugh. ‘“‘ May’s girl? ” “She does, sir, and that’s not half of the folly. They clubbed together, May and his wife and that Aunt Foxaby, and gave her a boarding-school education ; and finally they sent her to a school in France, to be finished off with French airs and graces. Nobody would believe now she was old May’s daughter: she is really an elegant girl.” ‘More fools they. But what has this to do with Frederick P” ‘Why, he has made her acquaintance, sir, and I believe is over head and ears in love: otherwise he would never stand by her at that piano, by the hour together, as he does.” ‘What do you say?” cried the lawyer, hotly. ‘Stands by her where? What piano?” ‘Their piano, sir. They have one here, down im the kitchen.” ‘‘ A piano Aere/” repeated Mr. Lyvett, growing more astonished with each disclosure. ‘“‘ May?” “Tt is true. And there’s where Mr. Frederick spends his spare time. He is in the kitchen night after night, listening to that piano.” “J’ll piano him. But 1f May and his wife bring up their girl in this absurd way, what can they expect? Still, May is our servant, faithful and trusty. Frederick ought to be ashamed of himself. And I was thinking him so steady! sterling and upright as gold!” ‘“‘T fear that he means to marry the girl.” Mr. Lyvett’s face flushed red: his tone was haughty. ‘ What are you saying, Rowley?” ‘If I say it, sir, it is in the hope that it may be guarded against. I overheard Jones chaffing Mr. Fred about it a week back : they did not know I was there. Since then I have waited after hours, and been about on Sundays.” Mr. Lyvett sat back in his chair, a frown ¢ on his brow. ‘“‘Last night, sir, I just dined hard by, and took a stroll down this street afterwards, to see if I could see anything going on; and I did. She came out, dressed in white, with chains and bracelets and things, and he handed her into a cab, hat off, as respectfully as could be, and got in afterwards. Old May fetched it from the stand at the top of the street. ‘Opera, Haymarket,’ Mr. Fred called out, and off they went.” ‘But with all this gomg on, Rowley—operas and cabs, and such = Om CORNICE OOS (C@