The Argosy — page 270: what you’re looking at

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

In the Dead of Night. 253 ‘Miss Jane is too good a girl to deceive anybody.” “ Oh, in love matters we women hold that everything is fair. Deceit then becomes deceit no longer. We call it by a prettier name.” Her brother was not heeding her: he was lost in his own thoughts. “The young vagabond!” he said at last. ‘‘So that’s the way he’s been hoodwinking me, is it? But I’ll teach him: I’ll have him know that I’m not to be made a fool of in that way. Make love to my daughter, indeed! I'll have him here to-morrow morning, and tell him a bit of my mind that will astonish him considerably.” ‘Why wait till to-morrow? Why not send for him now ?” ‘“‘ Because he left here half an hour ago.” “Oh, you would not have far to send for him.” “What do you mean ?” ‘Simply that he and Jane are in the shrubbery together at the present moment.” The Squire stared at her helplessly for a moment ortwo. ‘“‘ Howdo you know that?” he said at last, speaking very quietly. ‘Because my maid, who was returning from an errand, saw them walking there, arm in arm.” She paused, as if expecting her brother to say something, but he did not speak. ‘I have not had my eyes shut, I assure you,” she went on. ‘‘ But in these matters women are always more quick-sighted than men. From the very first hour of my seeing them together I had my suspicions. All their walking and talking together couldn’t be for nothing. All their hand shakings and sly glances into each others’ eyes couldn’t be without a meaning.” The Squire got up from his chair and rang the bell. A servant came in. ‘“ Ascertain whether Mr. Bristow is anywhere about the house or srounds ; and if he is, tell him that I should like to see him before he goes.” Mrs. McDermot rose in some alarm. It was no part of her policy to be seen there by Tom. ‘“‘I am glad you have sent for him,” she said. ‘‘I hope matters have not gone too far to be stopped without difficulty.” He looked up in a little surprise. ‘‘There will be no difficulty. Why should there be?” he said. ‘““No, of course not. As yousay, Why should there be? But I must now bid you good morning for the present. There will be hardly any need, I think, for you to mention my name in the affair.” “There will be no need to mention anybody’s name. Good morning.” Mrs. McDermot went out and shut the door gently behind her. ‘‘ Breaking fast, poor man,” she said to herself. ‘‘He’s not long for this world, I’m afraid. Well, I’ve the consolation of knowing that I’ve always done a sister’s duty by him. I wonder what he’ll die worth. Thousands, no doubt ; and all to go to that proud minx of a Jane. We COnniclooolks (Cl O)