The Argosy — page 242: what you’re looking at

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

A Story of the Sea-shore. 22% She was not surprised at his proposal; she had expected it some time, for she knew he loved her. Did she love him ?—love him, she meant, enough to say ‘‘ Yes”? She asked the question of her heart, as she stood there, and she could not answer it. ‘You don’t speak to me, Serena.” “Truth is, Tom, I do not know what to say. I don’t love you— I think you must have seen that; but I—I—-—” Tom Reece turned his anxious, honest blue eyes upon her as she stopped. He was not bold enough to speak ; he waited. ‘‘T was going to say that I do not dislike you, Tom. I like you very well; you are so true and good. SBut yet”—returning to the one fact that would not quit her—‘‘I do not think I love you. I feel not the least bit of love for you—none in the world.” ‘But if you like me,” he returned, greatly agitated, “‘if you like me well enough to be my wife, Serena, the love might come after- wards. My love would bring forth yours.” ‘¢T suppose it might,” she dreamily said, gazing out to sea from under her large straw hat. ‘‘ Well, Tom, if you will take me as I am, I will say ‘ Yes.’ I know my father wishes it.” | ‘God bless him for that !” exclaimed Tom, and he raised Serena’s hand to his lips, and kissed it as gently as the first gentleman in the land might have done. ‘‘ Then, my dear, you promise to be my wife ?” “Ves, I do; I promise it faithfully. And, now that I have made up my mind to the idea, I shall get to like it,” she added, half to | herself; ‘fit was only the uncertainty before that held me back. But, Tom, it must not be just yet.” “When you will,” he answered, in his gratitude. ‘My darling | love, your pleasure shall be mine in all things. I thank you, and”’— | lifting his glazed hat—‘‘I thank God!” » They stood together, hand in hand, looking out over the sea in silence. ‘Tom had stolen her left hand into his, and she did not withdraw it. Just then wheels were heard approaching; they drew | apart, and turned to see what was coming. A very handsome open carriage, drawn by two spirited greys, had turned on to the grass. An elderly man held the reins, and a young man sat at his side—a young man and a stranger, who turned his handsome and refined face upon Serena, as they whirled by, and looked her full in the eyes. It was but for a second, yet the girl flushed to the temples, and her heart thrilled with a strange and novel sensation. Tom’s voice broke the spell. ‘‘There’s a party of gentlemen staying at the hotel up yonder; I suppose these are two of them.” “Is there?” said Serena. ‘‘ How very good-looking they both were !” “Those fine gentlemen, with nothing to do, are often that.” ‘Born in the purple,” remarked Serena. VOL, XXX. 0 CORNICMOOOKS. COM