The Argosy — page 386: what you’re looking at

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

. My Saturdays. 363 for I have watched you all the afternoon devoting yourself to the chil- dren, and dragging about those two awkward Miss Bushes, whom you will never make skaters of until you can make them sylphs.” “T am sure 7 am nota sylph, though I am a skater,” rejoined Charlotte. ‘‘ Proof positive: did you ever hear of a sylph whose heart danced within her at the prospect of supper? Yet such is my de- grading position at present, in spite of a most un-sylphlike luncheon at two, and afternoon tea ad libitum.” “ Nothing like winter air for giving one an appetite,” I remarked. Herman took off her skates, and we all proceeded to the house, where a very substantial meal was in readiness, which people who had not been imbibing the best Moning for half the afternoon would have called a meat tea. Herman placed himself between us, and we had a very lively time, Charlotte being particularly kind to him in her motherly way. When we rose to leave the table, however, she dis- covered that she had lost one of her bracelets. **T know I had it on when we began the torch-dance,” she said; ‘*] remember setting it over my glove.” “Ts it a valuable one?” I asked. “Not very ; but I would not lose it for a great deal. My brother Robert gave it to me before he went to sea; he had been saving up his pocket money to buy it for ever so long, dear boy! Oh! I hope it may be found, even if it is broken. Mr. Pothinger, will you let me have a lantern, and I will go down to the pond and look for it at once?” ** I will go myseif,” he answered ; ‘‘ you must have dropped it on the | ice ; you shall have it again in a few minutes.” And before we could say a word to him he was gone. Charlotte and I waited uncomfortably for a few minutes, not know- ing what else to do; and then she said suddenly : ‘Mrs, Singleton, I don’t like it at all. He went off in sucha hurry, he may not have taken a servant with him, and it is not safe for him to go upon that ice. It is like glass now, after the day’s skating.” *“T am afraid you are right,” I said: “‘ but what can we do?” **Go down after him, of course ;.do come at once!” She hurried me out; we hastily snatched up somebody’s wraps from a chair in the hall, and ran down the garden. All the paths were still lighted, so we had no trouble in reaching the enclosure. Char- lotte eagerly lifted a curtain, and we passed inside. The Chinese lantern had been removed; but the bonfires were burning, and by their light we saw Herman in the middle of the pond, alone, slowly making his way along, stooping and examining the ice by the light of the lantern which he held. Charlotte caught my hand. “ Don’t call out to him,” she said; “it might startle him, and make him slip, Oh! I shall never forgive myself if he is hurt.” He was moving along the cord which marked off the dangerous Gomichbooks.co