The Argosy — page 37: what you’re looking at

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

24 Winifred Power. a return to virtue. Crossness with the world produced in Mary an inclination to defy it. It would be grand of her, and it would startle Marleyford, if she were publicly to proclaim Martha’s innocence and her own guilt. She began to rehearse the scene in her mind. She would appear before the magistrates, looking very interesting in her mourning, and in clear tones she would state the truth. She could not be punished very severely after that; John would be defrauded of his intention of putting her down; Mrs. Hoare’s story would help her in threatening to dispute the will. John would have to com- pound for a large sum of money; and she—well, she and Ralph would marry and take the grateful Martha home to live with them. The picture was charming. It quite cheered her, and she rose to her feet with a sense of heroism. But a thought intervened. Had not John said that Martha would be brought up again before the magistrates this very morning? In that case the time for action was wow. This check, like a brigand with a cocked pistol on a lonely road, brought Mary up rather suddenly. She still felt inspired, only inspired for some less definite epoch— perhaps to-morrow or next day. While she hesitated and began to get rather ill-tempered, Jacobs knocked at the door. The diversion was a relief. ‘‘ Come in,” she said. ‘Mr. Russell is in the library, Miss Mary. He wishes to know if he can do anything for you.” **T will see him,” said Mary: and, as well as the lowered blinds would allow, she scanned herself in the glass to see if her tears had dis- figured her. She did not care for Walter Russell ; but it was gratify- : ing to know that he was devoted to her, more especially as everybody admired him, and wondered why she did not prefer him to Ralph Mercer. As she went downstairs it occurred to her that perhaps she might make her first confession about Martha to him. It would be a pretty scene—she remorseful, more sinned against than sinning ; he touched and tender and very indulgent. He would smooth her after-path, and stand between her and blame. Paler than usual, with a graver but a gentler manner and an air of lovely languor, she entered the library and responded to Mr. Russell’s moved and eager greeting. Her stateliness always impressed him, and now that it was informed with this new graciousness he found it irresistible. ‘‘T fear you are very sad,” he said kindly, and held her hand. Mary sighed. She had a retrospective vision of herself as she had been ten minutes previously in her father’s room, and felt that she was indeed very, very sad. “JT am glad you came. I was upstairs,” she murmured ; and Walter, who understood her, pressed her hand sympathizingly. “You are well?” said Mary, looking at him with a keener ap- preciation than usual of his refined and intelligent air, ‘‘ And your little cousin, Sir Charles’s son, how is he ?” Gomichbooksneo