The Argosy — page 279: what you’re looking at

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

258 Winifred Power. and capabilities on ordinary people, and commonplace oppor- tunities.” Dolly came to a full stop. ‘““What do you mean ?” asked Winifred, with a merry, surprised laugh. “T think Mr. Dallas fancies he is in love with you. (He would | not be a Dallas if he did not fancy something.) But as you would be quite thrown away on hin, it is a pity you should encourage him.” ‘** How do you know that I encourage him ?” ‘*[ daresay you call your interest in him by some fine, philoso- phical name, but it is mere flirting for all that,” was the calm reply. Winifred bit her lip, for the little barb had shot home; and she remained so long silent that at last Dolly raised her quiet eyes. ‘Have I offended you?” Winifred had a sharp, brief struggle with her pride; then, bending her stately golden head, she drew Dolly’s small dark face to her, and kissed it kindly on the forehead. People never would understand her, it seemed. A little time ago it had appeared to her so easy to go through existence, ‘giving always more than she received ; squandering with both hands her treasure of helpfulness and sympathy, and asking for nothing in return but that people should do their best. But of late she had been conscious in herself of a longing for something more than that critical and half-hearted homage: and at such times, the memory of her last inter- view with Mark Hatherley would return to her, and bring with it a rush of half-delightful, half-reluctant humility. The next day the Tuileries went up in flames. Then the final barricades were taken ; and ‘‘ peace” (as at Warsaw) reigned in the stricken city. Most people’s occupations were more or less interfered with when not altogether suspended ; there was little visiting, in any social sense, and all conventional ceremonies seemed a mockery. Consequently, Winifred, Martha, and Dolly were almost startled one evening when a loud summons of the bell warned them of a visitor ; and it was with mixed feelings of pleasure and relief that they welcomed Mrs. Dallas. Her good little figure and timid motherly manner seemed really like the promise of a return to normal things. ‘Thank you, my love,” as Winifred began to unfasten her cloak. ‘You are better, Miss Freake? Still coughing? Dear—dear! Do try tar lozenges; they always do Mr. Dallas so much good. Georgie hopes you will come to spend the afternoon soon, Dolly. Winifred, do you happen to know anything of Richard ?” “Richard?” Winifred’s heart sank within her. ‘He is missing. Has been for three days. Mr. Dallas says he is sure to turn up; but I thought I might as well step round and ask if you knew anything of him.” She spoke quite placidly, although her serene face clouded a very little. Questioned, she had nothing to relate beyond the bare fact of Richard’s disappearance. “He might merely have gone to Versailles for a change,” she Gomichbookssco m