The Argosy — page 250: what you’re looking at

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

233 IN HALF AN HOUK. “T UST wait for us a little while! We will come back in half an hour!” Norah and Bob had said, and they had gone off into the little wood, hand-in-hand, like two children. So Missy was left quite alone, to move herself backwards and for- wards in the swing, and feeling herself, to say truth, -rather left out. Why had they wanted to go off by themselves? she wondered. It was so strange of Norah, when her brother had just telegraphed to say he was coming down that afternoon to see her. How odd, too, that they should want to get away from her! Missy was not accustomed to being neglected. Hitherto she had always been first with Bob, and first with Norah, but since Norah and Bob had become acquainted, things had assumed a very different aspect, and the intense friendship which had sprung up between these two threatened to extinguish Missy altogether. Missy did not like it, but as yet she had no comprehension of its full significance, no due appreciation of the calamity which had befallen her. At present, she was only aware that Bob preferred Norah’s company to hers, and that Norah—perfidious Norah !—evidently liked Bob’s society better than that of her dearest friend. It was very disagreeable, and, to put an end to the unpleasant thought, Missy called up her favourite subject of meditation, and began to weave afresh the roman- tic web of fancy which encircled the person of the wondrous being of the future, who was on his way to woo and win her virgin heart. She was very young—only seventeen—and the assertion of even those few years seemed belied by her childish appearance. But she was very pretty, and she made a charming picture as she sat in the swing, in her strawberry-coloured dress and large bonnet, with her deep, serious eyes fixed on the little gate into the wood, and her red lips half-smiling as some sweet imagination passed through her mind. So, at least, thought a young man who was coming noiselessly towards her along the dahlia-bordered grass-walk, and who did not fail to mark the beauty of her profile, and the grace of her movements as she stirred herself lazily to and fro by the help of her daintily-shod foot. Advancing quietly in front of her, he lifted his hat. She was not slow _ to perceive who he must be. : ‘You are Norah’s brother—you are Mr. O’Hagan,” she said, simply. “Norah has gone into the wood with Bob for half an hour. Will you wait for them ?” Mr. O’Hagan had no objection to wait. He threw himself down on a garden-seat close by, and sat looking at the girl, who continued her half-unconscious motion, with an expression on her face which ECOMICHOOKS. EO mn