The Argosy — page 268: what you’re looking at

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

The Wmite Witch. 251 and Mary too. The young man at length took his departure, saying he should call again on the morrow. Back he came in a moment. ‘Miss Dixon, do come out and see my new harness, and tell me whether you think there’s too much plating about it? My mother says the whole turn-out looks like an advertisement for a circus, and that people will expect me to offer them hand-bills.” So they went out laughing, and presently Godfrey followed. He found them standing by the dog-cart, talking in lower tones and a little more seriously ; and he thought this mood even more unbecom- ing than their mirth had been. Then Ernest took a lingering farewell and drove off, repeating his promise to call onthe morrow. As Miss Dixon turned back smiling, Godfrey had the pleasure of seeing that the smile suddenly left her face as her eyes fell upon him. ** Does he not look nice?” said she, aggravatingly turning again to watch the dog-cart and its owner. ‘‘ He is always so neat and trim and well-dressed ; he makes me feel like—like a nursery-maid watch- ing the horse- -guards.” “Do you admire that got-up look about a man—as if he were a together with glue and pins?” retorted Godfrey. ‘‘It may be all very well in town, for men who have nothing to do and no brains ; and of course it is excusable in Ernest here, being no better than a boy. J think that in the country that sort of thing is ridiculous.” Miss Dixon retaliated. ‘‘I cannot see that it is less manly toride or drive twenty miles a day in a well-fitting coat, than to lounge about with a cigar in one’s mouth in —-——” She stopped short. It really seemed that she had grown excited in defence of her friend, and suddenly remembered that she was going too far. Godfrey finished the sentence for her. ‘In an old velvet shooting coat with a frayed-out collar? I dare say you are right. But what can you expect from a boor, Miss Dixon P”’ And this was the use he made of the chance fortune had given him of a téte-a-téte with her! He had been wishing for one all night. He had meant, by dint of subtle questioning, to try to gain a clue to the aversion from card-playing shown by her and her mother, and to the agitation of the latter on hearing the name of Sir William Hunt. Without attempting an apology, Miss Dixon passed him, to enter the house. She was met by Lydia, her mother’s maid, who said that Mrs. Mayne would be glad to speak to her in her room. Godfrey, left to himself, wandered about the grounds for a little while, restless and dissatished: at war with Ernest Underwood, with Miss Dixon, and with himself. What was coming to him, he wondered. What could be the matter with him? With Azm, who until lately could not be roused out of his apathy ! Mrs. Mayne was seated back on the sofa in her dressing-room, agitated, nervous; her pale face bearing traces of tears. She held one hand out weakly, as one in want of help, to her daughter, when the girl came in and knelt down beside her. Eomichbooks co m