The Argosy — page 270: what you’re looking at

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

Winifred Power. 251 ‘She would be willing, he thinks, to enter any family for nothing at present. I am thinking of engaging her to teach the girls French. They are still deplorably ignorant of the language—as I found when we were at Boulogne.” The faces of the sisters fell considerably at this announcement. Winifred received it in silence; Mrs. Fane with an ironical smile. Gertrude! But they said nothing. The next afternoon when Winifred was busy painting in her studio, and her mother, seated at a little distance, was alternately pointing out faults in the picture and perusing a novel of De Goncourt, Richard Dallas arrived to pay a visit. Winifred received him warmly, as usual, but was quick to notice that he seemed ill at ease. After a little desultory conversation, he said abruptly, ‘‘ Do you know that Gertrude is in London?” ‘So Sir John said,” answered Winifred, gently. “He is kind enough to wish her to be governess to his nieces. Winifred—Mrs. Fane, you will do nothing to prevent it ?” He spoke entreatingly, with an earr.estness anda feeling unusual to him. ‘Touched, our impetuous Winifred had almost opened her lips to give the required assurance, when Mrs. Fane spoke drily. “The responsibility of recommending your sister as a governess 1s yours, Mr. Dallas; what right have we to interfere ? ” Richard turned red. He was in the uncomfortable position of wishing them to be silent on the subject of Gertrude’s escapade in Paris; and desirous at the same time not to seem to attach much importance to the escapade itself. A perfectly scrupulous man might have hesitated, under the circumstances, before introducing his sister at ‘The Limes. But perhaps Richard could not afford to be very scrupulous, and Gertrude’s position touched and troubled him. ‘She is all alone in London,” he said, pleadingly. ““Why did she leave Turin ?” inquired Mrs. Fane. ‘¢ She did not like the climate.” Mrs. Fane pursed up her lips: most climates, in her opinion, would disagree with Miss Dallas. Winifred meanwhile had been reflecting. After all, she and her mother knew nothing positive against Gertrude, for the suggestion thrown out by Hortense had never, so far as they were aware, been verified. Suspicions they might have, but suspicions were no ground for action. Moreover, all her warm young heart went out to the friend of her youth, and turning towards her mother she said: ‘‘ We must let her come.” “You always do as you like, my love. And you know that I never say anything,” replied Mrs. Fane. “You may depend upon our silence,” said Winifred to Richard. ‘When will Gerty come?” ‘Sir John has mentioned next week.” And with a few words of gratitude, Richard went. } ’ ECOMICOHOOKS. CO