The Argosy — page 361: what you’re looking at

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338 ‘The White Witch. The girl smiled mischievously. ‘ A train, you mean. Well, yes, I should think it would.” “For my own part, I like something brighter than those dull browns and drabs. I like blue or pink,” added Mr. Mayne. ‘Did not Mrs. Locksley wear her pink?” asked Mrs. Mayne, with displayed interest. “Let me see? Yes, I think she was in pink. But that is not quite the colour I mean. I like, well, I like the colour of this one that you have on, Mary.” “It is a pretty shade,” said the girl, looking down approvingly. ‘‘ But, indeed, sir, you would not call my dresses pretty if I wore them till they were as old as Mrs. Thornhill’s,” ‘“ Tt seems to me that Mary spends more than half her income upon dress,” remarked Mrs. Mayne. ‘“ Quite too much.” ‘Ves ; you are an extravagant girl and a saucy one, Miss Mary,” assented Mr. Mayne, playfully, “and you will never get a husband. Some handsome, dashing young fellow may think you look like a nice girl; but he will say to himself: ‘She spends all her own money on dress, and that is how she would spend mine.’ ” «¢¢ And the dear girl is welcome to do so,’ he would add,” returned the young lady, with renewed sauciness. ‘And then he would propose to me; and I should know that he cared, not for the little money I have, but for myself, and I should instantly say Yes, and marry him.” Mr. Mayne laughed. ‘I shall warn Ernest Underwood that he had better look out for someone more economical.” ‘“My dear Henry!” protested his wife, with what looked like a touch of real anxiety. ‘Well, I think it is an open secret now ; at least among ourselves, Laura,’ replied the well-meaning, blundering man, good humouredly : not noticing that the girl herself had grown suddenly still and grave. ‘‘ You should have seen how the young fellow’s face fell, Miss Mary, when I and Godfrey appeared without you! Two disconsolate lovers were enough to damp anybody’s spirits at a dinner-party, and with Ernest on one side of the table and Godfrey on the other, both look- ing as gloomy as if they were at a funeral ——” | ‘‘ Godfrey !” interrupted Mrs. Mayne. ‘ What did he look gloomy about P” ‘About Elspeth, I suppose. Mr. and Mrs. Thornhill turned up with only Matilda ; and——- Why, dear me! I wonder if that had anything to do with ——” ‘ With what ?” questioned Mrs. Mayne. ‘“Well—only that Godfrey, who had better let his hair grow long, and call himself a poet at once, seems about to go in for being in- teresting. What do you think he did this evening by way of diversion? I admit we were a little dull after the ladies had left us. He sprang up from the table when we were all quietly talking, walked Eomichbooks.co m