The Argosy — page 245: what you’re looking at

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

Parkwater. 233 ‘‘She has never been asking ¢Aem/.” was his muttered exclamation as he hastened to the house. | The ladies, he heard, were in their dressing-rooms : he supposed Lady Tennygal might be in hers. There he found her, with her two eldest children. ‘What are Harriet Ord and her aunt here to-day for?” he asked. “Ah !.” said the Countess, clapping her hands, “‘ I knew I should give you a surprise. I begged Harriet not to tell you.” I have invited them to stay with us until we leave for London.” ‘You have a curious way of doing things, Lady Tennygal,” was his ungracious remark, as he turned on his heel. “Theodore, stop a minute! Have you been in the park ?” “What if I havee” ‘Did you happen to meet Miss May? It1s the children’s hour for walking, but Laura says she went out without them. Ido not under- stand it. Did you see anything of her?” He did not give a flat denial, for Mrs. Barry could have contradicted him. Collecting his wits, he answered coolly. “Miss May? Yes, I saw her sitting down near the trees by the cross-cut. She looked ill. I went up and inquired if I could do any- thing for her, but she declined my services, and marched away. It was just as Lady Harmiet’s carriage drove by.” | ‘*] think she Is ill,” said Laura ; ‘“‘ she looked quite white all study- time ; but she did not tell me. When I asked her what was the matter, she told me to mind my lessons.” ‘“ Poor thing!” exclaimed Lady Tennygal. ‘‘ Perhaps she has one of her bad headaches to-day.” Now the substance of this conversation with her brother was innocently repeated by the Countess in Mrs. Barry’s dressing-room when she ran in to say that Theodore knew of their arrival. It aroused some doubt—or suspicion—in Mrs. Barry’s mind. For she felt certain from the manner of both Captain Devereux and the governess that it was not a mere inquiry after health which had been passing between them. Why then should Captain Devereux say to his sister that it was ? ‘‘ There’s something behind this,” thought Mrs. Barry. ‘I will watch alittle. For Harriet’s sake I will—for oh! I wish she would break with him. She is blindly infatuated with Tody Devereux: but I know he is a bad man, and it will be a bad day's work for her if she marries him.” Mrs. Barry was as good as her word, and watched. It may be said that she was urged on by self-interest: for Lady Harriet Ord’s proposed marriage threatened her with the loss of a good portion of her income. But she was besides anxiously uncertain in regard to Harriet’s future happiness. For several days she saw nothing: and the matter had nearly passed from her mind ; when one evening, soon after the ladies left the ecomniclooolkks _ (CO)