The Argosy — page 48: what you’re looking at

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

Godmother Dorothy. 33 day, but did not like to ask. That’s May’s ’cello. She will be here presently.” Then in she came, fresh as a rose. We had a dainty, well-served luncheon, that proved what an adept Mrs. Pierpoint must be in her manipulation of unpromising material, for they were entirely dependent on the local resources, she told me. They had not brought even a maid with them, and had not an acquaintance in the place, nor did they wish to make any. ‘‘ What we want is fervfect quiet, and Colonel Wriothesley promised me we should find it here.” I was able to confirm the statement emphatically. ‘‘Miss Leyland is not out yet,’ she went on, as we strolled on the slopes of Tamarisk Lodge in a sunny half hour after luncheon, awaiting the arrival of my violin, which a servant had been despatched to Fort Limpet for. ‘‘ And while she is under my care I am cautious about allowing her to make any acquaintance here.” I had not the highest opinion of Rocksedge society myself, I intimated. “ And—I hardly know how to put it graciously—but I would rather you did not introduce any of your friends at the fort to us. You are not offended, I hope?” I assured her I understood her position perfectly, and the téte-a-téte ended with May rushing out to announce Amati’s arrival. We had a glorious practice. The two ladies knew all my favourites as well as I did, and had piles of things, new and old, that it was a perfect feast for me to plunge into. Mrs. Pierpoint’s music was something out of the common too. She played us ‘‘ Chopin,” while May poured out afternoon tea, and I let my cup get cold untasted as I listened. When we parted, Mrs. Pierpoint had given a half doubtful consent to my suggestion of a drive to Shingle Bay next day, and luncheon with me after, with an inspection of my collection of Indian curios to follow. We were to meet for a practice in any case before long, and a blissful vision of days to come stretched out before me as I took my way back to my quarters. The days flew by with harmony on their wings: ow fast, I hardly guessed, till I found with a start that Godmother Dorothy’s letter had fallen due for once without my having counted the posts to its arrival. I was engaged to dine at Tamarisk Lodge that day. We had some music in the evening, and after that strolled out together on the terrace under the summer moon. May and her dog Scrap flitted about like elves in and out of the shrubbery paths below us, while Mrs. Pierpoint and I drifted into a conversation a trifle more personal and more freely expressed than was ever possible to me except by fits and starts and under favouring conditions. Mrs. Pierpoint was an easy woman ‘to talk to; quick to comprehend a half-expressed thought, ready with an answer to an unspoken question. I found myself telling her a great deal about myself, and learning very little about her in return. She had seen a great deal of the VOL. XXXVIII. D Gomichboo “Ss (E(@) m