The Argosy — page 297: what you’re looking at

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

278 Fack Laybourne’s Inheritance. flirtations. As far as Prince Sobranowski was concerned, these, though intermittent, were sufficiently marked to bring down upon her the facile censure of the pension. All the women wondered why ‘“‘ the mother did not interfere.” But Mrs, Laybourne evidently never dreamed of thinking that her beautiful eldest-born was not more than a match for a phalanx of Lovelaces. Moreover, she was not, I think, insensible to the triumph of seeing a prince (though he was only a Muscovite one) at her darling’s pretty feet. As for the distinguished foreigner himself, he knew what he was about extremely well, and combined fascination with prudence to a degree that I have never seen equalled. Just when he had brought things to such a pass with one sister as to banish sleep from the pillows of the most virulent among our scandalised spinsters, he would suddenly make a complete transfer of his attentions to the other. On such occasions, reader, 7 became all eyes and ears—of course in the interests of Jack. But my little Rita was so quiet that, although I thought she shrank from Sobranowski, I never could be quite sure. And another person who, it struck me, was as puzzled as myself, was the Russian’s wife. The Princess was a Sa pretty little woman, with bright watch- ful eyes like a bird’s. Into these glancing orbs there leapt occa- sionally a spark of very human anger, as they roved from one of the fair sisters to the other. I imagine the poor thing had no very happy life of it with her brilliant spouse; but used her vigilant jealousy with some effect at times to keep him a little within bounds. I hated the man, and felt a great temptation often to warn Rita against him. But I feared that with so young a girl the interference of a stranger might do more harm than good; and I understood how difficult it was for her in her inexperience to ward off the skilful and subtle, but never intrusive, attentions of a consummate flirt. But I longed very much for Jack to come: and at last he did. We were nearly all in the garden, looking out, as usual, for the diligence which brought, not only the hotel its guests, but the guests themselves their letters. The sound of its jingling bells was the most welcome one of the day to our famished ears. Who so pleased as my sister and I when on the top of the vehicle we saw a stalwart form, and discerned a white-teethed smile of welcome, in a bronzed and manly countenance further set off by the candid folds of a puggeree ? We met with such enthusiasm that for ten minutes all the lady spectators’ heads wagged with curiosity and excitement. “Come!” I said boldly, after I had shaken hands. ‘ We are not | the only people from whom you are to receive a welcome here. Unless I am much mistaken, here is your aunt, Mrs. Laybourne,” and I led him up to that lady. Gomilchboo co