The Argosy — page 334: what you’re looking at

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

Sev Cecil’s Rival. 315 just time to draw aside when a riderless horse shot past. In the momentary glimpse he had of the mad creature before he was lost to sight in a turn of the road, Thorpe noticed that the vacant saddle was a lady’s. In much concern he turned back ; and, retracing his steps, was shortly upon the scene of the accident : coming up just in time to see a young lady pick herself out of the ditch that bordered the way. ‘‘ Are you hurt?” exclaimed Thorpe, and the abrupt question was all that he could articulate in the breathless state that he was in as a consequence of his run. ‘No; I don’t think I am,” the victim of the mishap replied. “No, not at all,” added she, more emphatically after balancing her- self experimentally upon her feet for a moment. “You are sure of it?” asked Thorpe, looking at the girl with anxiety as she stood there before him on the sodden, wintry turf. ‘‘ Ves, quite: I got a slight shake ; but Iam all right again.” Say- ing which the stranger seated herself with great composure in the hedge. Sir Cecil picked his way over the wet ground to her side. ‘* Can I be of any service ?” enquired he in his kindly, pleasant tones. ‘Thank you, but I think not,” answered the girl looking up from her occupation of endeavouring to restore some form to her hat, and revealing to Thorpe a pleasant, fresh young face with frank grey eyes and a rather wide mouth. ‘‘ My groom will be up in the space of half-an-hour or so, and he must find my horse for me.’ ‘You don’t mean to say that you will mount that animal again P”’ “Of course I shall! Why not? Iam nota bit the worse for my tumble ;—except,” added she, as she pommelled vigorously at her head-gear, ‘‘that I have spoilt a hat, and shall take home a small estate in mud.” ‘The land is mine; let me assure you that you are most welcome to all that you have appropriated, ” said Sir Cecil smiling, and much amused by this easy and self-possessed young lady. ‘Yes, you are Sir Cecil Thorpe, are you not ?” t Precisely.’ ‘I saw you last week driving up the High Street—in Briarford, I mean. You were behind as handsome a pair of chestnuts as I ever saw ; they attracted my attention, and then it was that I learned who you were.” _ Thorpe felt a natural curiosity as to whom his new acquaintance might be, and considered himself entitled now to the information. ‘And I have the pleasure of speaking to—?” said he in a tone of interrogation. “ Miss Bevis Trehawke,” said the girl, supplying the hiatus. ‘“* Bevis Trehawke!’” gasped Thorpe. ‘‘ What—what do you mean?” “T told you my name, that was all,” answered the young lady, fixing her eyes wide with astonishment upon Sir Cecil’s flushed face. CcomicoooKks (©) an