The Argosy — page 242: what you’re looking at

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

Mrs. Montagu’s Governess. 225 ‘She will make him an excellent wife,” said Mr. Montagu, with commendable common sense and right feeling. ‘No one says otherwise,” returned his partner, in gentle reproach. ‘The marvel to me 1s that Talbot has not married before.” The very contingency that had seemed so impossible in his sister’s judgment came to pass. Mr. North made a formal proposal of marriage to Miss Lockhart, and was rejected. Her refusal was firm and de- cided ; but, on the other hand, it was given with evident emotion; seeing which, North took heart of grace, and, in concluding the inter- view, spoke hopefully of a different result in the future. ‘“‘T shall plead my cause again, Miss Lockhart; I deserve my pre- sent failure, because in my eagerness I have spoken too soon.” ‘‘T wish I could persuade you that my answer is quite final,” replied Miss Lockhart, with a distress of manner that was in strong opposi- tion to the tranquil confidence of his tones and mien. ‘‘ You must indeed go away and forget me.” ‘Forget you !” he returned, in a voice tremulous with earnestness. *¢ My darling, I shall never forget you while the world stands.” Moving her head from side to side as though seeking some visible refuge in which to hide her distress, she stood in silence for a few minutes while her companion awaited her next words with an im- patient anxiety. “Tf you only knew it, I am unworthy of your least regard: of a moment’s interest!” she said at length, with a cry of anguish. ‘‘ Put me out of your thoughts, give me no place in your heart,” she re sumed, after a space of silence. “I do not want you to hate me, but you must forget me. And let this interview be our last meeting,” she added, in a broken voice. ‘Then giving one quick, deprecatory glance into his face, which pain and trouble were beginning to darken, Marion stole from the room. IV. AVOIDING the drawing-room, with its cheerful atmosphere of talk and music, Mr. North chose to pass the evening of that momentous day alone in the library, an apartment little affected by any member of that unstudious household. Long he sat there immersed in thought, re- viewing the events of the afternoon. A sanguine man by nature, and desperately anxious for success in this matter, he was very loth to give up the hope of winning Marion Lockhart for his wife; yet the conviction would force itself upon his mind that her refusal was, as she had declared, final. An interruption came at length in the shape of a light tap at the door, startling North in the midst of his gloomy reflections. ‘“‘Come in,” he called out impatiently. Thereupon the handle of the door was softly turned; the door itself _ was next pushed wide, and carefully again closed and latched; and VOL. XXXIII. Q Conniclooolks (C(O)