The Argosy — page 254: what you’re looking at

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

In Half an Hour. 237 up round his trim and well-made boots. He must go on in the ordinary way, and look for no poetic termination to his career. He was hopelessly common-place—merely a barrister; there was nothing Sigurdlike about him. ‘But I will strangle that fellow!” he exclaimed, vindictively. He hardly knew whether he was referring to the man who, in a possible future, might be amused at Missy’s expense, or to the beautiful youth: he knew not at all that he had spoken aloud. “What fellow? Who are you talking of?” exclaimed Missy, starting. ‘‘Are you speaking of the beautiful youth? Have I been talking of him all this time ?” she cried, in an agony. ‘‘ Oh! what have I done? What shall I do? I have told you my secret, and I shall never, never be happy again. Why did you draw me on to talk and tell you all about him? I never meant to tell you anything, and now you have led me on to convict myself. Aunt Caroline says barristers always make people convict themselves, and you are a barrister. You are a bad man!” She had got out of the swing when first she began to speak ; now she walked slowly away between the rows of dahlias. When she had gone half-way, however, she turned back, and Mr. O’ sagan went to meet her. “Vou will please to come indoors,” she said coldly. “ If Aunt Caroline happened to be out when you arrived, I dare say she has returned now.” She seemed suddenly transformed from an elfin child into a digni- fied woman. In days that came after—and that came without Mr. O’Hagan being under the necessity of laying violent hands upon any other man—he recollected this little scene—the outburst of childish passion, and the instinctive womanly control which ensued—and loved to dwell upon it. He felt now as if a jury had found him guilty, but he resolved to try and say one word in his own defence. “Miss Missy,” he began, contritely, ‘‘I only wanted to talk to you about Norah and your brother, I never meant to vex you.” “IT do not care to talk to you about people, Mr. O’Hagan,” said Missy, severely. ‘‘ If you like, we can talk about the Irish Question, or the Egyptian War, or “ Iolanthe,” but I do not wish to talk about persons.” ‘But I must learn something about my sister,” said Mr. O’Hagan. ‘What about her P?” asked Missy, relenting a little. ‘*T want to know whether she and your brother. are in earnest, or if they are only amused.” “TI do not know. You had better ask Norah and my brother themselves. Ido not desire to commit myself any further,” said Missy, grandly. “Miss Missy,” said Mr. O’Hagan, humbly, and altering his line of action, “‘I plead guilty to your charge. I have done a mean thing, and all I can venture to say for myself is, that your conversation so COMA (A) LNOOKS.,.EO