The Argosy — page 257: what you’re looking at

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

238 Mrs. Carr’s Companion. give me your arm. Mrs. Carr and I are both tired, and it is nearly luncheon time. Good-bye, Charlotte.” ‘Good-bye, Mary. ‘Thanks for your visit. I hope it will do you no harm. After all,” she finished consolingly, ‘perhaps it is more comfortable to have found out that all one’s swans are geese; then, at least, one knows what to expect of them!” Lady Mary tightened her grasp of Viola’s arm, and silently, with compressed lips and head erect, walked back to her room. Viola drew forward the large easy chair, and settled her comfortably in it. As she came behind and arranged the pillows, Lady Mary looked up with a pathetic, wearied face, whose silent anguish Viola could well interpret. She bent down tenderly, and pressed her lips to Lady Mary’s pale cheek, with a lingering touch which would fain have kissed away the pain. ‘These mute caresses of hers were more appreciated than any words could be. Lady Mary’s eyes slowly filled with tears. She was feeble as yet, and not herself. “My dear child! when I think of the hours you have spent in those rooms! the daily vexations ———” **One gets accustomed to it,” said Viola, brightly, interrupting her. ‘Tt has done me no harm, and taught me patience. And now, while you rest, lam going back to try and talk Mrs. Carr into a pleasanter frame of mind.” For even Viola was, for once, wrought up to a pitch of indignation which emboldened her to tell Mrs. Carr how much her unkind remarks had wounded Olive’s feelings. At last, having persuaded her to make some sort of amende, she went back triumphant to her friend. “Olive, Mrs. Carr asked me to tell you that she is sorry if she said anything to vex you just now.” “If!” exclaimed Olive, still indignant. “Indeed, I think you had better forget about it. You see, an easterly wind 1s trying to most people, and —-—” ‘You are a capital peacemaker, Viola, and mean well, but I know quite well who pulled the wires to make my aunt send a civil message. And now, I should like to know exactly what she azd say !” “Just what I told you, dear; you don’t think I would have invented it!” ; ‘‘ And what besides ?” “ Oh! nothing particular.” Viola, I insist upon hearing.” ‘Well, if you will have it, she said—she said ——” A gleam of mirth dawned in Viola’s eyes, and an irrepressible smile parted her lips. ‘*Oh! Olive, don’t be angry! She said she daresayed the young man was no worse than ‘ ofhers of Ais class,’ and if you liked to take him up and introduce him, she would do her best to be civil to him !” ”) Gomicdbooks (E(0) m