The Argosy — page 271: what you’re looking at

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

2354 The Wi.te Witch. “Don’t you think it might matter to her?” asked Mary, slowly. “Certainly not. Love with these rustic youths and maidens is a pretty little milk-and-water friendship. Not at all like the dreadful thing we have known it to be, Mary,” said Mrs. Mayne, in a fearful whisper. ‘* Two people just want to be married, and they meet each other, that is all. Or else, the one wants to marry and the other is gently driven to it, as I drove Godfrey.” ‘Do you think it was right to do that ?” ‘‘T did it for the best. You know why I did it. And they will be very happy; they are just suited to each other: he is idle and aimless, and she would never want anything different. You must not reproach me with that, Mary.” *T am not reproaching you; I am reproaching myself for having come to Croxham at all. Why did you urge me to come?” ‘Mr. Mayne would have you—and I thought you might as well come. I wanted to have you under my own eye again. Besides, where would you have made a home, now Madame de Breteuil is dead? You have been better in health and brighter since you came. And if only you can quiet Godfrey’s suspicions I shall be very glad you did come ; very glad indeed.” “T will try,” said Mary, quietly. ‘For otherwise there will be danger.” That evening Godfrey appeared at dinner with diamond studs in his shirt-front, and on his father’s remarking upon this effort with laughing admiration, which somehow irritated Godfrey, he said with indifference that he had mislaid his others. Whether affected by this burst of magnificence or from other causes, Miss Dixon seemed anxious to atone for her neglect of him by being very charming and by giving him at least as much attention as she gave to his father. In the drawing-room after dinner, Mrs. Mayne suggested to her husband a game of draughts, and they sat down to it; while Mary took her work to a distant window. ‘There was not light enough for her to do much, but her head ached and she wanted to be quiet. She had let her crewels fall into her lap, and was pressing her hands wearily to her head, when a smelling-bottle in Godfrey’s hand was silently offered to her. “Thank you,” said she, with a start; and she took it and leaned . back in her chair, without any more words. ‘You look very tired,” said Godfrey, putting his back against the window-frame. “Yes, I am tired; I don’t know why. That was what made me so cross to-day.” “Cross! I don’t think Underwood found you cross.” ‘But you did.” “TI! That is a different matter. I have not his entertaining powers, you know.” ‘He is a nice, bright, amusing fellow,” carelessly returned Mary Gomicbooks (elo) m