The Argosy — page 267: what you’re looking at

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

248 Winifred Power. ‘* Again, Laura! How many more times must I beg of you not to speak to me on that subject ?” ‘But he is starving,” whispered Mrs. Hatherley, and clasped her hands imploringly. ‘He deserves to starve,” retorted Sir John. “TI tell you, for the fiftieth time, that I will not give you a penny for him. I do not wish to appear to cast what I do for you in your teeth, Laura, but you might, I think, sometimes count up the number of years you have been here, and what I have done for you and your daughters. How can you expect me to supply the extravagance of a spendthrift and a an inebriate P” ‘‘He is your brother’s son,” urged the mother, trembling with agitation. “My distnherited brother’s son,” was the cruel answer. Could that be quiet Mrs. Hatherley who, raising her brown, slender head from among her shawls, like a snake emerging from the grass, shot out at her benefactor a glance so full of venom? ‘Why have you supported us all these years?” she asked. Sir John stared. ‘I like that question, Laura! Out of kindness, of course.” ‘““Not because Mary bid you?” ‘‘ Mary! Now, understand me, Laura. I will submit to neither Insolence nor insinuation. As long as you behave becomingly, the shelter of The Limes is yours; but it would cost me nothing to part from you to-morrow. How much it would cost you and your two empty-headed girls is another question.” Mrs. Hatherley cowered as beneath an icy blast. To her poltroon creole soul, the bare idea of poverty and exertion was like death. She turned and crept away, humbled, silenced—but unforgiving, Sir John followed her with his eyes as she left, his attitude very rigid the while, his expression very hard. ‘There was so little of the gentle student or the benevolent invalid in him at that moment that Winifred, had she seen him, would have been much strengthened in her distrust of the bland and gracious master of The Limes. CHA PT 2 aan GERTRUDE DALLAS, Mrs. CHANDOS-FANE cultivated Sir John Hatherley’s good will with an industry that was in no wise lessened by his obvious insensibility to her charms. In point of fact, she was thinking that she should like to be Lady Hatherley, and that perseverance might eventually win the day. Perhaps she also thought that if she failed with the father, there was no reason why Winifred should fail with the son. Mark, indeed, seemed much the more likely prize. He evidently admired Winifred, and as evidently liked her. ‘The great obstacle Gomichbooksnco m