The Argosy — page 301: what you’re looking at

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

282 Fack Laybourne’s Inheritance. person, masked the view of it from me. It was plain that she had seen someone coming. Wo could it be? Jack was gone with the walkers; so, as far as I knew, was that hateful Prince; in fact, the only member of the male sex left at home was the parson, whose respectable grey head I had just seen at his own bedroom-window. Surely Rita had not made an assignation with Az ? ‘You have not answered my question, Miss Laybourne,” I ob- served glacially. ‘“‘ May I request to know the cause of your sudden kind interest in my milk-drinking?” To my horror, Rita burst into tears. ‘‘ Good heavens!” I exclaimed, rising. “Oh, please go! dear Miss Greville, please, go!” said the poor little soul, checking her sobs with a violent effort and clasping her slender hands entreatingly. “I am not doing any harm—indeed I am not. But there is somebody coming whom I must speak to— and alone.” “ Of course, I will go if you wish it,” I said slowly, softened by her distress. At the same time I tried hard to see into the meadow, although in vain; Rita—naturally—not being transparent. ‘And you won’t look back? Promise me you won’t look back,” continued my companion, more and more excited. ‘“What do you take me for?” I cried irritably. ‘I am not in the habit, Miss Laybourne, of prying into my neighbours’ concerns— whatever their nature.” Having delivered myself of this boast, I flatter myself that I walked off with a very successful assumption of insulted dignity. But to be frank with you, reader, I own that neither Lot’s wife nor Bluebeard, nor Psyche at midnight, nor Orpheus leaving Hades, nor anybody else since the world began, ever endured such tortures of unsatisfied curiosity as I. Puzzled and angry I dragged my leaden feet along, envying each bird as it flew and each grasshopper as it leapt in the ~ direction of that forbidden arbour. As I neared the last rise of all, where there was a seat, I, though not the least tired, felt aggrieved to think that I could not even rest there without looking straight down upon Rita. What, then, was my agitation, on coming upon the - bench, to find that it was already occupied by no less a person than | Princess Sobranowski. This fact in itself, not so very novel, was | rendered remarkable by her expression and her attitude. For— crouching forward with clenched hands, frenzied eyes and distended nostrils—she was absorbed in contemplation of—/he arbour! ‘There was no doubting the direction of her fixed glance, and my heart nearly jumped into my mouth. The instant she perceived me, she gave a short laugh, with scant amusement in its tones—a laugh of fury! ‘‘Tenez, madame,” she said, without altering her position or removing her eyes from iT, ‘I am glad you are come. Look and see what your immaculate English mees are capable of!” What would you have done, reader? J Jooked/ And there was the Prince holding Rita’s hands, drawing her towards him as she Gomicbooks (E(0)