The Argosy — page 208: what you’re looking at

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

The Burgomaster’s Daughter. IQI ‘‘T shall be very sorry,”’ faltered the girl, timidly. ‘‘ But you will come again ?” she added, with a quick, anxious gaze. ‘Ves: to find you married to Bastoigne, or some such odious creature! No, I could not bear that. I would rather not see the chateau again.” He spoke vehemently, and poor little Lucille began to tremble. She had rather liked Jules once—poor Jules !— but he had never talked ‘to her like this. She.knew nothing of love-making, and she wondered whether this was the way in which gentlemen proposed. Perhaps he wished to make sure she loved him before he spoke to her father. ‘‘T shall not be married to Monsieur Bastoigne, or—or to any one when you come again,” she stammered. ‘And you will be glad to see me, if I return next year?” he asked, eagerly. ¢é Yes.” The Baron d’Harscamp looked round hastily—Monsieur Warenne had disappeared—then he threw his arm round Lucille, and pressed his lips to her cheek. ‘The unwonted liberty brought a rush of colour to her face, which, receding, left her pale as death. ‘My dearest girl,” whispered the Baron, ‘‘ your father did not see us—do not be frightened.” This speech brought Lucille to her senses. ‘‘ Iam not frightened, Monsieur le Baron, at seeing my father.” As she said this, she freed herself from his embracing arm, and turned to retrace her steps. She was alarmed, then, to see to what a lonely part of the park she had allowed herself to be led, and how far she was from the noise of the music and the company. The Baron walked by her side, filling her ear with expostulations and reproaches ; but she was frightened, and did not heed him. A thousand tongues seemed already to hiss against her, and she felt terror-stricken, and as a child in the grasp of a wolf. ‘‘OQh, why did you bring me down here, so far from all the company? This is cruel, monsieur.” ‘“Vour father was with us a few moments ago,” said the Baron. ‘“TDo not be alarmed. We shall find him directly, and we will all three go back to the garden.” He had given the Burgomaster the slip a few minutes before, but now he was really anxious to find him, as he was very far from wishing to expose Lucille to remark. She, however, poor girl! was so nervous that she truly wanted soothing and help. ‘¢ Mademoiselle,” said the Baron, dropping all his tenderness very suddenly, and addressing her with the utmost respect, ‘“‘you must come this way. Your father is here, I assure you.” She was running in the opposite direction, and he took her hand kindly as he spoke. At this moment, two ladies—the same whom they had passed in the bower—emerged suddenly from a group of shrubs, and a hard dry voice said, sarcastically : CONNICOO© QS (CO) am <=)