The Argosy — page 183: what you’re looking at

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

166 Mrs. Kaven’s Temptation. ‘¢ Aunt Gertrude is exactly the sort of woman who never does get married,” observed Evelyn. ‘‘ I daresay she is happier as she is.” ‘What sort of women are they who do get married?” asked Philip, and Evelyn coloured. “'There’s the postman!” she exclaimed, as a double knock was heard: and she sprang from her chair and hurried out. ‘Poor Evelyn!” sighed Gertrude Agate, ‘I’m afraid I cannot have given her a very happy youth, for I think she’d be dreadfully ready to leave me. Had my dear Marian lived, she might have been able to train her into something more nearly resembling herself.” “That poor Marian is on your list of saints,” said Philip, kindly. ‘And she was a saint. As nearly so as a woman can be.” Evelyn returned. ‘‘ The letter is for you, Aunt Gertrude,” she said in a disappointed tone, as she handed the missive to Miss Agate. ‘I see it is from the lawyers by the seal, and so I think they might have directed it to me as it must be about my business. Oh, I wonder whether it is good news! I wonder what they have discovered ?” ‘That you are a Duchess’s daughter perhaps,” said Philip, gravely, as Miss Agate opened it, and read : “DEAR MApAM,—We regret that, on our communicating to our client the particulars you kindly gave us this morning, we were in- formed that they did not in the least suit the case in hand. “We deeply regret having put you to the trouble of calling on us and the pain of answering our questions, ‘And remain, yours truly, ‘ DEWE AND CREED.” ‘What a shame !” exclaimed Evelyn. Mortification reddened her cheeks, suppressed rage lay in her voice. The blow of disappointment had shivered the veneer of her nature. She no longer looked handsome. Even her velveteen robe seemed to grow common and tawdry. But ambition had been aroused within her and could not be suppressed again. If these people hold no clue to her birth, others might hold one. And, indeed, who was to know whether these lawyers told truth ornot. Perhaps they did not choose to speak yet, that the time for it was not come. She said something of this aloud. ‘Perhaps so,” assented Miss Agate calmly. ‘‘ Meanwhile, Evelyn, my dear, you must be content to wait.” “Yes, Aunt Gertrude, but nothere. I shall. put an advertisement in the Zzes now for a situation as Lady’s ‘Companion, I will write it out this very night.” Gomichbooks (E(©) m