The Argosy — page 89: what you’re looking at

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

74 Cousin Barbara’s Prejudice. “T know Wilfrid Lane! As well as though he were my own brother.” ‘* How strange! He is my half-brother.” ‘Yes, he is much older than you are. When did you see him last P” “‘T have not seen him for seven years.” ‘Ah, of course; he is always abroad. But you go abroad some- times; why not to see your brother ?” ‘* There have been family differences, Madge.” “Oh! It will be awkward when we are married, if I may never see Wilfrid. I wonder what he will say when he hears I am going to marry you.” A sort of shiver passed over Trevor Lane. “My brother Wilfrid is scarcely the sort of man with whom I should care for my wife to be on intimate terms,” he said. ‘Oh yes, I know he is a vaurien, but that can’t hurt me, and he is very amusing. Quite a treat to see his dear old hand-writing in your drawer.” ‘‘ He ruined Cousin Barbara—that is why she is here,” persisted ‘Trevor. “Very likely. He ruined my father and my father ruined him ; that’s why I am poor. Yet I owe him no grudge, Trevor; why should you P” and once more she looked into his eyes with that strange mesmeric power she had, which set every nerve in his body vibrating. And from talk of Wilfrid Lane they drifted back once more to themselves and their own affairs, murmuring together softly in the light of the pale moon, which had risen and cast a magic spell over the scene: broken at last, however, by a little scream from Madge. ‘What is it? I heard something moving. Is it a bogey or Cousin Bab ?” “Cousin Bab!” And Trevor, indignant lest Bab should have been listening, went through the portitres into the painting-room, the moon as it were followed him. No one to be seen—out into the garden he passed. Barbara was in her room; he could see the reflection of her form on the drawn blind. Instead of returning to the spot where he had left Madge, he walked down the garden and called to her to come to him. ‘‘ The night was so beautiful, the moon so bright,” he said, “it was better there than indoors.” From the garden they strolled into an adjoining wood, along a pathway leading to the village where Miss Craigie dwelt. The vicar was her uncle, and she was ona visit there for a while. Nor did they come back to Trevor's cottage that evening ; on the contrary, he went into the Vicarage and stayed talking to the vicar till past ten o'clock. How he should tell Barbara that he was absolutely engaged to Madge Craigie puzzled him not a little during his walk home, and Eomichbooks.co m