Argosy, Vol. 1 (December 9, 1882) — page 121: what you’re looking at

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

114 THE ARGOSY. without being discovered. Should I attempt to escape 1t would be found out, and you would be killed. Oh, why did you come! Why did you come!” She cried out passionately, and I saw how unhappy she was. So much was I affected that I would have risked a hundred dangers, rather than have left her to be a prisoner where she was, or to be sent to the convent, had she been willing to accompany me. ‘ Sefiorita Teresa,” I cried, “trust me. I will accomplish everything.” Almost instantly she changed, turning quickly upon me. “ How do I know that you are not deceiving me?” she demanded. I was not prepared to encounter this turn of affairs, and stammered some- thing about being a gentleman, and that as her uncle, Philip Melrose, had seen fit to trust me, and had assured me that she would know that he sent me, she also should be willing to take me on faith. “You do not look altogether bad,” she replied. “On the other hand, I think that I present a very poor appearance,” I said, glancing down at my clothes. “Never mind,” she answered quickly. “It does not matter. It would be impossible for me to escape, even could we leave the house unseen. My stepfather is high in authority, and as soon as it was discovered that I was gone he would have the police on our track. We could not escape them. Oh, it is impossible, impossible! I am a prisoner, and these walls are my prison. You are rash. You venture upon that of which you have no knowledge. Even now I doubt not that your presence here is known. You must have been seen. You must fly, fly for your life. Who can help you, I do not know. Why did you come? You will be killed. Already I fear it 1s too late. There, did you not hear the door?” she asked, listening. “ Don Carlos has returned, and he will find you here. Oh, leave me, if you can escape, I beg of you. Do not think of me, for you can do nothing for me. Go, go, I beg of you; go!” She spoke fast and earnestly, pouring out her words in a torrent, pleading for me to save myself. But I felt no alarm for my own safety. It was only for her. | I touched her hand to reassure her that I feared nothing, but she shrank back from me. I did not understand it so well then, or it did not occur to me that the custom with the best families was that a girl before she is magried is never left alone in company with a gentleman, and it was probably this, having been brought up in seclusion, that caused her to withdraw her hand. It might, too, have been partly from her anxiety that I should escape, but | mistook its significance. “ You will not let me rescue you, then? ” I asked. “Oh, Sefior Harvey, if it were possible. You will rescue me—when— how-—where? ” I was about to make reply, but was startled by hearing steps outside of men coming along the gallery. I could tell they were men by-the sound of their heavy boots. “ Oh, he is coming, and some of the guard is with him. They will find you. Your escape is cut off!” she cried. COMME OOO ‘SS (COLNT