The Argosy — page 76: what you’re looking at

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

Mrs. Carr’s Compamion. — 63 wonder what she should say or do next, when, to her great relief, he at last took up his hat. ‘T am very sorry,” Viola murmured again, as she shook hands with- out looking up. ‘Forgive me for bringing the first cloud upon the brightness of your prospects.” Viola had little foreseen such a result from her good-natured offer of taking Olive’s work in the district, and her class at the Sunday-school, during the many days of languor and lassitude which followed her accident. This was the one little shadow upon her content just now. For otherwise life was going smoothly with her. She had emerged from under the ban of Lady Mary’s displeasure, and in the sunshine of her favour was beginning to lose that awe of her presence which had once possessed her. Mrs. Carr seemed easier to please than of yore, and, in a way, sometimes even showed a grim sort of liking for her companion, which would have been a matter of surprise to Olive if she had not herself long ago succumbed to the charm of Viola’s sweetness. The two were now very often together, and never had friendship dawned more opportunely. Rose had of late withdrawn very much into herself. Perhaps the coming burden of married life, with its cares and duties, was already casting its shadow upon her and quenching her girlishness. Olive, at all events, seemed less to her than formerly, and though the link of sisterly affection remained unbroken, it began to seem a matter of course that each should go her several ways. Olive, too, had her own cares : regrets which she managed to hide successfully, heartaches, and vain, indefinite yearnings for she knew not what. Theskein of life seemed to have become tangled all at once— would patience ever avail to unravel it? CHALLCR AIT. THE EVE OF THE WEDDING. “THEN you will be away all the week!” said Rose, toying with her rings, She did not protest against his absence as once before, but Colonel Kane thought it necessary to plead his excuses as they stood to- gether in the oriel window of the Archdeacon’s drawing-room. ‘This business with my lawyer must be attended to in person. There are several things to arrange. And, dearest, I must make some sort of compensation to Wilfred. He may well feel aggrieved at his old uncle marrying and cutting him out of his inheritance, although he has never shown it by word or deed. Upon our wedding-day I pro- pose to make over to him 4 10,000.” ‘“‘ Always generous !” murmured Rose, but without looking up. ‘* My darling, it is possible that we may not meet again before the twelfth, Are you sure you do not regret? You are so young, so fair, so bright to cast in your lot with one like myself. I some- connicloooks (C(O)