The Argosy — page 323: what you’re looking at

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

306 IN THE MIST. By Mary E, PENN, AUTHOR OF ‘‘ OLD VANDERHAVEN’S WILL,”’ &c. I, ES, Winnie, I say it, and I mean it—you are a cruel coquette. You know that I love you more than life itself, and yet you take a pleasure in tormenting me.” ‘Tt 1s you who torment me with your jealous suspicions, Noel, and your temper is simply unbearable. I warn you that you may try me too far.” This fragment of dialobué reached my ears one autumn afternoon as I—the Vicar of Penravon—was returning home across the heights after a long round of parochial visits. | The speakers stood facing each other, on the dusty, sunburnt turf at the edge of the cliff, too much absorbed in their quarrel to notice my approach. Not that my presence would have greatly disconcerted them had they been aware of it. I had known both Winnifred Carlyon and Noel Tremaine from childhood; had christened them, and should probably have the pleasant task of marrying them, if all went well—though the course of their true love did not seem to be running very smoothly at this moment. It must be admitted that there was some ground for their mutual reproaches. Tremaine, who was a clever young mining engineer, had the quick temper which often goes with a warm heart, and the very strength of his affection made him jealous and exacting. As for Winnifred, her best friends could not deny that she was somewhat wayward and capricious, though so thoroughly lovable withal that those little failings, which time would certainly correct, might well be for- given. She was the orphan grand-daughter and spoilt darling of the wealthiest man for miles round Penravon—old Michael Carlyon, the shipowner—and was, besides, as pretty a girl as you would meet ina summer day; with a complexion hke a May rose, and eyes of the wonderful blue that seems peculiar to Cornwall—the deep, limpid, changeful hue of the western sea; whilst she never smiled but to reveal a set of teeth dazzlingly white and even. Noel’s stalwart form, and handsome, vivacious, olive-tinted face, made a picturesque contrast to her delicate beauty : a better matched young couple could not have been found in the Duchy. Just now, however, neither of my favourites appeared to advantage. The girl was flushed and defiant, her companion white with anger. Hitherto their disagreements had merely been the ‘‘ renewing of love,” but in this there appeared to be something more serious. ECOPMICLIOOL KS, (E00)