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

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

My First Situation. 147 “ Run back, dear; I will wait here for you,” I said, and back she ran. She was gone longer than I expected, and I stood looking over the low hedge into the road. Presently I heard steps approaching. Long quick strides they appeared to be, and up came a gentleman with a large straw hat on, completely shading his face. He carried a good stout stick in his hand, and had walked fast and far, to judge from his dusty appearance. He was just about to pass the spot where I stood, when a bark from Marie’s little terrier made him look up. Off went his hat in an instant, and with the laughing eyes and the pleasant smile I remembered so well, my neighbour of the next droschky bowed to me, and passed on. It was all the work of a moment. I had barely time to return the pleasant greeting, before a turn in the road hid him from my view. I know not why, but when Marie came back with her book, I cared to talk about the incident as little as I had cared to mention my rude neighbour of the next droschky when narrating my adventures. On our return, we saw a travelling carriage driving up the road before us. The next minute it turned into the Dahlsburg gates. “There’s Uncle Harry! I thought it was his carriage,” cried Marie. ‘Dear Miss Alford, do let us be quick; I think I must run.” And off set Marie, tearing along the road at a great pace. I followed more demurely, making up a little German speech of thanks the while for the hospitality shown me at Warburg, and thinking a good deal of this morning’s encounter with the stranger of the laughing eyes. I was so much engrossed in my thoughts, wondering if ever he would cross my path again, that I had nearly got up to the steps where I had seen the kind Countess and her daughter awaiting me on the evening of my arrival, before I saw Marie, with all her brothers. and sisters, coming down towards me with a stranger in their midst. ‘“‘ Here she is,” they cried. ‘‘ Uncle Harry wants to be introduced to you, Miss Alford.” ‘“Now that you are no longer in need of any assistance, I hope you will allow me to introduce myself,” said the pleasant voice, that was still ringing in my ears. I looked up, and beheld my friend of the next droschky. “You Count Harry Dahlen?” I exclaimed, my armies making him laugh and the children stare. | “Count Harry Dahlen at your service, at all times ‘iu in all _ Seasons, though you do not make it easy to serve you,” he added with a smile, and bowing low. Then everything I had forgotten in my surprise and pleasure, rushed back upon my mind. My curt answer in Berlin; my arrival at mid- night and arousing the Warburg house; my turning its master out before dawn; for I saw it all now intuitively—and then the kind requital on the following day! My sentence of thanks died away CONIC OOO SS (CO) an =)