The Argosy — page 162: what you’re looking at

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

149 POTTY BE’ See ees. By C. E. MEETKERKE. sf WO strings to one’s bow may be a good thing, but this is more than a joke, my lady.” So said Sir Henry, taking out a cigar, that he might be prepared, without any signs of a hasty and inglorious retreat, to close a con- versation which he thought might possibly be stormy. “More than a joke?” enquired Lady Davenant, hardly raising her eyes from her work. ‘Yes, more than a joke,” repeated Sir Henry. ‘Of course, you stand up for him: of course, everything that Harry does is right; but does he think that he can marry both those girls P” “Both? He proposed to Lottie Craven yesterday.” “I know that very well, but he has been proposing to Eve Dacre every day for the last ten years.” ‘“A boy and girl attachment,” returned Lady Davenant: ‘‘ there has never been any question of love between Eve and Harry.” ‘Very probably,” said Sir Henry: ‘‘ but there may be a great deal of love and no question at all in the matter.” ‘‘T wonder you are not pleased : it is such an excellent match for Harry. Miss Craven has at least six thousand a-year, and Eve will not have six hundred.” ‘Six thousand a-year is all very well,” replied Sir Henry, “ although if I were to put myself in the market I should like to go for a rounder sum than that! I should very likely be pleased if I could feel sure that he was not breaking the heart of a girl who is as near an angel as any woman can be, and was not behaving even worse to another.” ‘Worse to Lottie Craven ?” cried Lady Davenant, slightly warm- ing at this. ‘Yes, worse to Lottie Craven; for how can a man possibly behave worse to a woman than when he tells her that he loves her better than anything in the world, whilst in real truth he loves nothing about her except her money ?” ‘‘ Harry is not mercenary,” said Lady Davenant, in a tone full of reproach. ‘‘He may have faults, but he is not mercenary.” “Still, if a younger son means to do nothing but lounge about all his days, he is bound to marry an heiress.” ‘“‘T never knew you so cynical! MHehashis profession. He does not mean to do nothing.” : ‘The profession of a guardsman is hardly lucrative ; at any rate, I would rather that he stuck to his colours.” “What do you mean by sticking to his colours ? ” COMmMicaooks (CO)