The Argosy — page 98: what you’re looking at

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

Court Netherleigh. 85 and his good name by confessing the truth, and run away for ever from the sight of men, she would have done it thankfully ; but to take the guilt upon herself, and such debasing guilt, azd remain before the world !—this was utterly repugnant, not to say impossible, to the proud heart of Lady Adela. It was so unusual to see her father and mother come in together, and to see them both with solemn faces, that Adela’s heart leaped, as the saying runs, into her mouth. Stull, it szght not portend any adverse meaning, and she rallied her courage. ‘‘T want to make him sing,” she cried, turning on them her bright and smiling face. ‘‘ Did you ever see so beautiful a colour, papa? I hope he is not too beautiful to sing.” But there was no answering smile on the faces of either father or mother, only an increased solemnity, Lord Acorn, waving his hand towards the bird as if he would wave off a too fgg toy, touched her arm and pointed to a chair. “Sit down, Adela.” She Raed as white as death. Lady Acorn opened her lips to begin, a great wrath evidently upon them, but her lord and master imperatively waved his hand to her for silence, as he had just waved away the frivolous bird, and addressed his daughter. ‘“What is to become of you, Adela?” She neither spoke nor moved. She sat back in the arm-chair, with her white and terror-stricken face. Her teeth began to chatter. ‘How came you to do it?” he continued. ‘*’To—to—do what ?” she gasped. “To do what!” screamed out Lady Acorn, utterly unable to con- trol her tongue and her reproaches longer—‘“ why, to rifle your husband’s cheque-book of a cheque, and fill it in, and forge the firm’s signature, and despatch that unsuspicious baby, Charles Cleveland, to cash it.” ‘“Who—who says I did that?” asked Adela, making one last, hopeless, desperate effort to defend herself. ¢¢ Who . ae 9 ‘Betsy, if you can’t let me speak, you had better go away for a few minutes,” cried Lord Acorn, arresting a fresh burst of eloquence from his wife. ‘‘ That you did do this thing, Adela, is known now; some of the notes have been traced to you, all the particulars have been traced, and Charles Cleveland has confessed to them. Any denial you could attempt would be more idle than the chirping of that bird.” “Charles has confessed to them ?” she whispered, taken aback by this blow. Nothing, save his confession, could have brought it abso- lutely home to her. ‘‘ Did you set up a fantastic hope that he would keep silence to the end, and go to his hanging to save you?” demanded Lady Acorn, defying her lord’s wish to have the whole ball to himself. ‘ Proofs CONnRICMHOOKSs. EO