The Argosy — page 320: what you’re looking at

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

Between Two Stools. 303 few months ago, and I immediately sent for the young girl—you will already have guessed that I am speaking of Alice Carruthers—and installed her here as my companion. You are wondering, no doubt, why I am telling you this, but I have as good eyes as most people, and have noticed the direction of yours pretty accurately whenever you have been here. I am perfectly aware that the circumstances you alluded to the other evening have alone prevented you from asking my protégée to be your wife, and as I have an idea that she is not altogether disinclined to listen favourably to such a proposal on your part, I intend helping you as far as Ican. My adopted daughter—you have never heard of her, but you will see her here some day—will of course inherit the bulk of my property, but when Alice marries, three hundred a-year will be settled on her ; it is not much to begin housekeeping upon, but your own exertions must supply the rest. What do you say ?” What can I say,” cried Frank, radiant with delight, ‘ but that you are the best and kindest of women, and I the happiest of men !” “Not quite so fast,” interrupted Mrs. Mangoe, with a smile, ‘there is another person to be consulted, and I will send her to you that you may plead your cause yourself. I expect Major de Mogyns this morning,” she added, with a merry twinkle of her eye, and as I have not hitherto mentioned the existence of my adopted daughter either to him or your friend Mr. Sharpset, I think it as well for several reasons that I should do so to-day. Perhaps you understand why!” and without waiting for an answer, she left the boudotr. Shortly after, Alice made her wished-for appearance, and exactly at the same moment the Major, gorgeously attired, and with an air of supreme self-confidence, entered the drawing-room, where the widow was ready to receive him. | Of the interview between the lovers we need merely say that it was very long and perfectly satisfactory, and only abridged by a sum- mons to the luncheon table. They found Mrs. Mangoe endeavouring to check an uncontrollable inclination to laugh. “T really ought to be ashamed of myself,” she said, “ but I can’t help it, the man’s face was too ridiculous. He had a new coat on, with a flower in his button-hole, and his whiskers were fresh dyed for the occasion: quite the bridegroom as he evidently thought, and was so terribly impatient to come to the point, I suppose for fear of in- terruption, that he stammered out his phrases like a school-boy. However, their meaning was clear enough, so I cut him short without any ceremony by a flat refusal. At first, he seemed as if he couldn’t believe his ears, and looked so utterly woe-begone that I had pity on him, told him plainly that it would be his own fault if we did not remain good friends, and asked him to dinner next week. Just as he was going away, Warner brought him a telegram which had been sent on from his club; he asked my permission to open it, turned very pale, and muttering something I could not understand about COMIC OOO S (C©) im