The Argosy — page 80: what you’re looking at

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

Uely and Stupid. 67 ‘But nothing. I was going to moralise on the emptiness of fame, only I thought better of it.” ‘¢ Does it not satisfy you?” he said. ‘Does anything in life ever quite satisfy ?” she returned, smiling. « But—but—am I impertinent to ask?—Are you happy?” She crimsoned, and he hastily added: ‘‘ I mean—perhaps—you want—lI mean ” and he floundered hopelessly. “JT don’t want anything,” she replied, quietly. ‘I never have wanted anything. Whenever I have been in trouble I have found kind friends.” ) “And I cannot help you in any way? Ah, no: if you found friends when you were in trouble, you will not want for them now you have attained fame. But if you ever should Do you remember what I said to you once?” ‘“T remember,” she returned, in a low voice. “T am not going to torment you by repeating all that again, but ” A sudden gesture on her part here passed unnoticed, for his eyes were fixed on the carpet. ‘‘Only if you ever want a friend, I am ready now as I was then. Good-bye, Miss Manners.” “ Good-bye,” she replied, very quietly, too much accustomed, perhaps, to his sudden impulses to wonder at this abrupt departure. But, as he turned away, not looking where he was going, he knocked over a small table that stood near; and all the small nick- nacks upon it went rolling in different directions. “Tam so sorry,” he said, as he stooped to pick them up. A little sandelwood carved box lay at his feet, and, in taking it up, he touched the spring. It flew open. Inside it lay a faded white rose- bud, tied with a bit of blue ribbon. For a moment he stood bewildered. Then a great joy came over his face. He looked at her. With downcast eyes and crimson cheeks she stood silent and trembling. Down fell box and rosebud to the floor again. “Gertrude! my Gertrude, at last !” “Yes, I love you now,” she confessed, a little time after. “I think I began to love you the moment you left my side that day in Berkeley Square, when I began to realise what I had lost. And, oh, Arthur! I am so tired of fame, and of rehearsing and acting, applause and bouquets, and all the excitement and weariness of it. Take me away from it all, Arthur.” Which he was quite ready to do at the earliest opportunity. ecomicbooks (GO mn