The Argosy — page 70: what you’re looking at

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

Lady Ennerdale’s Fewels. 57. had often made him the victim of designing knaves. ‘Time had doubtless taught him the wisdom of reticence in many ways, but it had not spoilt his good heart, as his wife was not long in finding out. In his love she found a safe and sunny anchorage from which there was no danger of her ever drifting away. Christmas Eve was here, and there was to be a grand dinner-party at Fairmead. ‘I shall wear my diamond necklace to-night,” said Lady Ennerdale to her maid. “The very thing, my lady, to go with your pink satin,” remarked Piper, obsequiously. : Tea was set out in Mrs. Nugent Dawson’s boudoir for such of the ladies as chose to partake of it previously to dressing for dinner. ‘To several of them this half-hour’s interlude of tea and gossip, to which the gentlemen were not admitted, was one of the most agreeable episodes of the day. Before going downstairs this evening, Lady Ennerdale passed out of her own room and through the bed-room into her husband’s dressing-room beyond. Huis lordship was busy among his letters, as he generally was at this time of the day. “Hard at work as usual,” said Lady Ennerdale, as she stooped and touched her husband’s forehead lightly with her lips. ‘The post leaves in half an hour, and I have three letters still to answer,” replied the Earl. ‘After that I shall go down to the library.” ‘“T thought of wearing my diamonds to-night,” said her ladyship. “To be sure, my dear, why not? Dawson has got the case locked up in his strong-room. [Piper has only to ask for it.” As the Countess went down stairs she met Piper coming up with the jewel-case, which Mr. Dawson had just handed to her. Six o’clock was striking as they passed each other. Whilst Lady Ennerdale was taking tea, Piper thought it would be a good opportunity for her to spend half an hour in the servants’ hail. No one loved a gossip more than Piper, and it was not in her nature to resist any occasion of gratifying her weakness. No sooner had she safely conveyed the jewel-box into Lady Ennerdale’s dressing-room, than she slipped down stairs on her own account, and in a few moments was plunged in the delights of a violent flirtation. Time passes quickly when thus employed, and when Piper thought that twenty minutes had gone she was horrified to find that nearly an hour had elapsed since she first came down. ‘The remembrance of the neglected jewel-case flashed across her, and jumping up with a shriek that considerably startled her companions, and put all romantic notions to flight, she quitted the room with as much haste as ghosts are said to disappear at cock-crow. Seven o’clock was striking as Piper hurried back up stairs. Time had passed so pleasantly that for once she was really frightened to find howlate it was. She hoped most devoutly that her mistress was not waiting for her, and as she ran up Stairs her ready brain coined a pleasant little fiction with which to turn away the sting of her ladyship’s anger. conniclooolkks (C(O)