The Argosy — page 94: what you’re looking at

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

After Years of Waiting. 79 light in her eyes growing momentarily brighter, looked like a veritable “ dance-sprite,” so airily did she float through the rooms, “ How beautifully they waltz!” Even Cornelia Granger involun- tarily spoke in admiration, and a slender youth near her gave it as his opinion that “Thistledown couldn’t be lighter than Mrs. Kathlane in a waltz.” ‘‘ Are you tired?” said Rupert, looking down at the beautiful face ; and Millicent, for answer, said she could keep on for ever. And so they danced on and on, until Rupert saw the bright colour fading away, and the sensitive mouth beginning to droop a little at the corners. “Vou are tired,” he said, and then, before she could answer, he whirled her through the low, open window, into the cool, fresh air on the balcony. “Thanks,” she said. ‘I believe I was a little faint. Will you get my cloak?” And then, until her cloak came, she sat quiet, like a tired child, with her head resting wearily on the railing. “The next dance but oneis Richard’s,” she said, as he wrapped the soft, white cloak around her tenderly. ‘‘I must not slight him. But we will stay out here until then, unless you wish to go back—in which case I will not keep you with me.” “‘T shall not dance again to-night,” he answered, ‘unless it is with ou.” : “Tam engaged for every one of them, I am afraid. I could have been engaged three or four times over,” she added, laughing. “I am sorry, Rupert, but F “‘No matter,” he interrupted her, almost rudely. “I must get used to it, I suppose.” He was standing before her, looking down at her, and she, in her pretty, imperious way, laid her hand on his arm. “You are cross to-night,” she said. ‘Sit here beside me, and tell me what it is that troubles you.” He hesitated a moment; and then, with a reckless determination to disclose everything, and afterwards leave her for ever, he told her the story of his long love for her. Told her in a fierce, hard way, which almost frightened her, and yet made her reverence and admire him more, perhaps, than she had done before. . “IT have loved you, Millicent. I love you now, more than you can imagine, and I have not told you because—because you are so far removed from me in every way. I feared you would think me merce- nary. I feared—Oh, Millicent! Heaven only knows how I have loved you ; how I have longed to tell you, and yet I have not had the courage. Now it is too late, either for harm or good. I shall pray for your happiness always with the man whom you have chosen.” “What do you mean, Rupert ?” COMICOOOKS.EO an