The Argosy — page 214: what you’re looking at

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

Roger Bevere. 199- Lizzie’s. I could not see more of her than that ; some other young woman’s head was close to hers.” ** But do you think it was Lizzie ?” “No, Ido not. So little did I think it that it went clean out of my mind until you spoke. It must have been some accidental resemblance; nothing more; red-gold hair is not so very uncommon There’s nothing to bring her down to Brighton.” “Unless she knows that he is here.” “ That’s impossible.” ‘© What a wretched business it is altogether !” * You might well say that if you knew all,” returned Scott. ‘She drinks likea fish. Like a fish, I assure you. Twice over she has had a shaking-fit of three days’ duration—I suppose you take me, Ludlow—had to be watched in her bed; the last time was not more than a week ago. She’ll do for herself, if she goes on. It’s an awful clog on Bevere. ‘The marriage in itself was a piece of miser- able folly, but if she had been a different sort of woman and kept herself steady and cared for him 4 “The problem to me is, how Bevere could have been led away by such a woman.” *‘ Ah, but you must not judge of that by what she is now. She was a very attractive girl, and kept her manners within bounds. Just the kind of girl that many a silly young ape would lose his head for ; and Bevere, I take it, lost his heart as well as his head.” ‘Did you know of the marriage at the time?” * Not until after it had taken place.” ‘They could never have pulled well together as man and wife ; two people so opposite as they are.” “No, I fancy not,” answered Richard Scott, looking straight out before him, but as though he saw nothing. ‘She has not tried at it. Once his wife, safe and sure, she thought she had it all her own way—as of course in one sense she had, and could give the reins to her inclination. Nothing that Bevere wanted her to do, would she do. He wished her to give up all acquaintance with the two girls at the Bell-and-Clapper ; but not shee He ——” ~"Ts Miss Panken flourishing ?” * Quite,” laughed Scott. ‘The other one came to grief— Mabel Falkner.” -“ Did she! I thought she seemed rather nice.” ‘She was a very nice little girl indeed, as modest as Polly Panken is impudent. The one could take care of herself; the other couldn’t—or didn’t. Well, Mabel fell into trouble, and of course lost her post. Madam Lizzie immediately gave her house-room, setting Bevere, who forbade it, at defiance. What with grief and other disasters, the girl fell sick there ; had an illness, and had to be kept I don’t know how long. It put Bevere out uncommonly.” “Ts this lately ?” EONNIE OO KS (E() m