The Argosy — page 232: what you’re looking at

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

Winntfred Dee. 217 satisfied with anything? The mother said, ‘‘No; Milly was not dissatisfied : but she could not allow her to continue in a situation that had a bad name.” Winnifred, shocked and frightened, ques- tioned further; and though she could not hear anything tangible, she heard enough. One thing the woman said outright—that she was supposed to be ‘‘ very familiar” with Dr. Probert. And then Winnifred Dee knew what it all meant—that which had so puzzled her; knew why Rillbrook looked at her askance, and bought its bonnets elsewhere, and made a wide-spaced circle around her as she went to and from church, and altogether shunned her as one to be abandoned for ever. She knew that her good name had been assailed, though she did not know how, or why, or wherefore. And the rose faded out of her cheek, and the light from her eye, and her step grew listless and heavy: and again the dreary weeks dragged by. Mr. Probert paid two visits to London about this time, so that he was much away. After that, a season of sickness set in; his patients absorbed all his thoughts and care, and he had no leisure for running into people’s houses or shops for a friendly gossip. But one day, when Winnifred was out upon some indispensable errand, the Doctor happened to meet her. He felt half staggered at her changed appearance. “Why, what is the matter ?” he exclaimed. ‘ You look ill.” T am not very ill, thank you, Mr. Probert. I have had a bad cold.” “Ts that all? It has made you pale and thin. I must call in and doctor you up.” “Oh, thank you, no! there is not any necessity,” she answered, in a kind of hasty eagerness. ‘‘I shall soon get better.” “Perhaps you have been working too hard lately; or fretting about that opposition shop set up opposite? You must not do either. And be sure you let me know if you are ill. This weather is too cold for you to be out in.” He went striding off, for he was in a hurry: and Winnifred saw Miss Eliza and Miss Jane Down picking their way just then along the middle of the street, where the snow was thinnest, in their velvets and furs. ‘They turned such condemning faces upon the poor young girl that her heart was scared. That day she caught a fresh cold. The snow wet her boots and the boots wet her feet, and she had to take to her bed. ‘“ Hadn’t I better call in Mr. Probert?” asked Martha White, who was still at the shop, as per agreement, though there was no work to do in it. “No, no,” answered her young mistress. ‘‘I’d not trouble him for the world, or anybody else. I shall be better soon.” So Martha White, an incapable young woman, save at her work, did not call in any assistance. She concocted stews of gruel and arrowroot over the bedroom fire, and administered doses of cough CONnRICLOOOKS. Com