The Argosy — page 337: what you’re looking at

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

316 A Dream from Heaven. moved into a house to-day, lower down, and that’s where he ought to have taken the brandy. What shall we do?” ‘Sit down, Margaret,’and make your mind easy. I will speak to the man.” | ‘“‘But how embarrassing for you ?” ‘“‘My dear wife, nothing will ever appear embarrassing to me again. What I have* gone through this night has rendered all things light to me here. I; shall never more shrink from a fellow-creature.” Mr. Grainger went out to the waiting servant, returned to him the one unopened bottle, and gave him a message to deliver to his master and mistress, to the effect that he would call and explain on the morrow. Accordingly, in the morning he betook himself to Lime Villa. And upon entering the gate, he fell nearly into the arms of an elderly gentle- man, who was standing without his hat by the side of Mrs, Clayton, evidently quite at home, and finding fault with something that did not please his taste in the arrangement of the flower-beds. Recognition was mutual. Adam knew-him at once for Mr. Phelps, a director in the insurance company. The insurance company that had once had him, Adam, for its chief clerk, or actuary: which valuable post he had thrown up in his insane mania for mining-speculation. ‘“T thought it must be you,” said Mr. Phelps, holding out his hand. “When my niece here spoke of a Mr. and Mrs. Grainger living in a cottage hard by, something told me it was no other than you and your wife. Well, and how has the Great Trebeddon Mine finally turned out ?” Adam strove to answer calmly. But, what with the half-mocking question (though indeed only meant as a bit of harmless pleasantry) and the knowledge of how it had turned out and all it had brought ; what with the sight of Mr. Phelps, calling up memories of the past happy days and his bitter folly ; and what with his depressed physical state. Adam got into a little agitation. He began giving the best explanation he could give about the brandy to Mrs. Clayton; but the colour changed on his refined face as he spoke, and his breath became short. | “ And so you tapped it,” interrupted Mr. Phelps, witha hearty laugh; “and quite right too. JZ wonder you sent back the other bottle. If anybody left two bottles of best French brandy at my door as a present, I should not expect them to be fetched away again.—And now tell me how you are getting on,” added the old director, passing his arm within Adam’s to lead him about the garden for a chat, while Mrs. Clayton went in doors. ‘You don’t look over strong,”—with a side glance at the worn but still attractive face. A moment's debate with himself, and Adam put pride in his pocket and told him how. Told the whole truth. That he was not getting-on at all; had never got on since he threw up his pkce, but had gone m comicbooks.co