The Argosy — page 115: what you’re looking at

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98 The White Witch. wards to town, where he was supposed to be studying for the bar with a professional man; but it was a standing joke that he took his lessons on the box-seat of a four-in-hand. On this day, Saturday, Mr. Mayne and Godfrey were engaged to join a sporting party at a nobleman’s house several miles distant from Croxham. Godfrey ould now willingly have excused himself, but he had no plea to offer his father for doing so. ‘They left home betimes, and were not back until night. Mrs. Mayne did not attempt to go to church in the morning on account of her foot, though she had walked out of doors the previous day. Neither did Mary go, which caused Godfrey vexation. He expressed it as he proceeded thither with his father. ‘‘What is she staying away for, sir, do you know? All right- minded girls like to be at church on Sunday morning.” ‘‘Well, I suppose she is staying at home to sit with her mother,” replied Mr. Mayne. ‘‘And I’m sure, Godfrey, I don’t see any difference that it can make to you; you seem to regard it as a per- sonal grievance. If it were Elspeth, now, I “Yes, yes,” laughed Godfrey, recovering his good humour; “ if it were Elspeth, I suppose I might ask leave of the Vicar to stay away myself to sit with her? Is that it, father ?” ‘JT don’t know whether it’s ‘it’ or not, Godfrey,” returned his father. ‘You young people do your courting in a very different fashion from what mine was when I was young. ‘There's no ardour in it, lad, and be hanged if I can see that there’s any love.” ‘‘ Fashions change with the times, you know, sir,” replied Godfrey, demurely. ‘So it seems,” concluded Mr. Mayne, as they reached the church- yard gate. After service, in going home, they overtook Nancy and her father. Mr. Mayne fell into conversation with the farmer; Godfrey drew behind with Nancy. He began reproaching her in a semi-serious tone for her sinfulness in coming late, service having commenced nearly half-an-hour when she stole up the aisle to her pew. “It does not happen often, and I felt downright ashamed of myself,” answered Nancy. ‘‘Just as I was about starting, father having walked gently on, mother was taken with shivering, a sort of ague-fit, and I stayed behind attending to her. I wanted to stay altogether, but she got better and would not let me. The fact is, Master Godfrey, that Dick’s new pranks have upset her seriously.” “ T don’t wonder at it,” returned Godfrey. ‘““T fancy Mr. Cattermole has taken the opportunity of people being at church to enjoy an interview with his aunt and cousin,” said Nancy, stealing a glance at Godfrey, and laying a laughing emphasis on the two woxds. “Why so,” he asked, with flashing eyes. ‘‘T saw Miss Dixon and her mother in the plantation when I came Gomicbooks.com