The Argosy — page 25: what you’re looking at

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

12 Minifred Power. ‘But I appreciated your motives, and I thought it was plucky of you. Beggars, and beggars with such uncommonly few strokes of luck as ourselves, cannot be choosers, you see; and I thought you under- stood the difficulty of providing for yourself in any other way. I am sorry that you find the thing less agreeable than you expected ; but I hope that in time you may become quite a model wife.” Lady Hatherley gave a harsh laugh; but her mood was evidently turning. While Winifred, boiling over with speechless indignation, felt that it would give her great satisfaction to box Dick’s ears. The sympathy between the brother and the sister’s nature was gradually asserting itself. “You will have many opportunities of being useful and kind to him,” went on Dick, with undiminished placidity. ‘I don’t care to preach, you know; but I think there is a certain satisfaction in doing one’s duty when it does not cost too much. And, even to take a lower point of view—he Is rich.” “IT believe him to be on the verge of bankruptcy,” flashed out Gertrude, with an odd kind of triumph. ‘ Yes, it’s true.” Dick stood stock still, in dismayed amazement. “You think itis a joke!” cried his sister. ‘I believe it to be the grimmest fact. His son (he is honest at any rate, Winifred) gave me a hint of his fears. And besides this, what other explanation is there of Sir John’s persistent stinginess ?” continued she, in too angry a mood not to speak out freely. “Ts he stingy? To be sure, he did make me ——” Dick stopped short in his speech, and resumed his promenade up and down the room; his expression a very curious one; betraying doubt, enlightenment, and annoyance. ‘He would not let me buy the smallest gift for any of you, not even for Georgie,” cried the bride. With a sudden movement, Dick thrust his hand into his breast- pocket. ‘Sir John put this into my hand half an hour ago. I wonder what it is. Perhaps acornelian stud?” And with a laugh at his own little joke, Dick proceeded to open a small oblong packet. ‘Not much stinginess here!” he exclaimed, and produced a magnificent ruby scarf-pin. Gertrude took it, looked at it, returned it. “I don’t understand him,” she said ; but her tone was unmistakably gratified. ‘And there are your diamonds?” resumed Dick. ‘ They don't look like ruin, either.” A pause. Then Gertrude said, quietly, ‘‘ Winifred is disgusted at us.” And indeed, Winifred looked it. A dusky red flushed into Richard’s dark cheeks. He hesitated a moment, then drew near to her and held out his hand. ‘“ Do not think badly of us, Winifred—dear, kind Winifred! You are almost the only true friend our graceless ways have left us.” There was a thrill of very unusual feeling in his voice and the COmMicdoo CS (EO)