The Argosy — page 246: what you’re looking at

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

234 Parkwater. dining-room, Mrs. Barry was passing a staircase-window, and caught sight of Captain Devereux, walking quickly towards a grove of trees on this side the park. Why had he left the dining-room ?—he who was so fond of his wine? “‘ My dear,” she whispered to little Rose, when she went back to the drawing-room, ‘‘ where’s your governess this evening ?” ‘Qh, she is in the study.” ‘“‘T thought she was to have come down with you and Laura.” ‘* Mamma did ask her, but she said she had our exercises to correct.” Not another word said Mrs. Barry. She glided out, saw that Miss May was not in the study, put on a cloak, covering her head with its hood, like a true Inshwoman, and she also went out mto the dusk of the evening. They were walking just where she expected to find them, in the sheltered path: Captain Devereux and the governess. Mrs. Barry halted amid the big trunks of the budding trees. “Well, don’t you do anything so hazardous again,” he was saying, In a reproving tone, and Mrs. Barry caught the words distinctly. ‘“‘ Sending a peremptory note to me in the dining-room that I must come out to you here that instant! Suppose it had fallen into the hands of Lady Tennygal ! She had not quitted the room five minutes.” ‘“‘] wish it had,” was Miss May's answer, delivered in a passionate tone. “If what I have heard to-day be true, I wish it had.” ‘“‘ Now, Sophia, don’t give way to temper. We can both do that, on occasion, as you and I know, but this must not be one. Just calm yourself, and tell me what you are complaining of.” ‘‘T want to know the truth.” - ‘What about? ” ‘‘ Have you proposed to Lady Harriet Ord?” ‘“What in the name of wonder put such a thing as that in your head?” he asked, in a voice teeming with astonishment ; and little Mrs. Barry leaned forward, and put her sharp refroussé nose between the trunks of two proximate trees, and brought her sight to bear upon ~ the parties. He was standing with his hands in his pockets, a slouching, favourite mode of his; and the poor young governess, as Mrs. Barry could not help thinking her, was gazing at him with her blue, inquiring eyes starting from their pale lids, as if she would read into his very soul. “One of the little girls said to-day in the schoolroom that Lady Harriet was to be her aunt—your wife,” she slowly said, with a catching up of the sobbing breath. ‘* And you believed it! and must make all this fuss and haste to ask me!” he rejoined, no doubt giving a word in his heart to his sister— for 1t must have leaked out through some imprudence of hers. ‘“ As if you could not have waited a proper opportunity.” “Ts it so?” “ No, it is not. Harriet Ord would like to jump into my arms; and GONMGIOOKSEEON _