The Argosy — page 90: what you’re looking at

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

Cousin Barbara's Prejudice. 75 probably would have engrossed him even more had not his thoughts been diverted from it by almost a feeling of annoyance that his Madge should be on friendly terms with the half-brother whose very name was never mentioned in Heathfield Cottage. When he reached home all was as silent as the grave; the glass door leading from the sitting-room to the garden was ajar, as Miss Craigie had left it when she joined him, the lamp was still burning on the writing-table, everything was as he had left it. No—the drawer was still wide open, but the papers had been touched. He noticed it at a glance; those which had attracted Madge Craigie’s attention, with Wilfrid Lane’s name on them, were gone. Pearly drops burst forth on Trevor’s brow as he perceived it, and staggering into the seat which Madge had but recently quitted, he re- mained there for a time immoveable. What did she know of Wil- frid Lane, was the question he asked himself over and over again. Were the details of this man’s shameful past known to her—had she had aught to do with them? Could it be possible that she had made the excuse of sending him away in search of bogies, while she possessed herself of letters and documents inculpating Wilfrid Lane? No—no—the thought was madness! Yet the papers were gone, and that they did inculpate Wilfrid Lane very heavily there was little doubt, since more than one of them wasa forgery of his half-brother’s name, and it was by the holding of them that Trevor succeeded in keeping the vaurien out of England, and his own hearth and home in peace. Cousin Barbara’s warnings against Miss Craigie rose like spectres into his mind, and would not be chased away, let him struggle as resolutely as he would. Madge and none other had been in that room, and the papers were gone—the case was conclusive. And he had promised to marry this woman! What should he do? Go to her as soon as possible, accuse her straightforwardly of the theft, demand the return of the stolen papers, and then spurn her image for ever from his heart. That was the decision he arrived at while he sat gazing at the open drawer, and the clock struck four before he attempted to go to bed. To bed, but not to sleep; and when he met Cousin Barbara at breakfast, he looked pale and haggard, and was very silent, while Bab grumbled away in her usual style over the thousand and one petty annoyances which she managed to find at every turn. At last Trevor rose and took up his hat. “Going out, Trevor, instead of to work ?” He leant over her, and kissed her. ‘Ay, only for a little while, dear cousin. I shall soon be back, and we will have some long hours together in the painting-room.” “Yes—silent hours, while you are dreaming of that Miss Craigie’s false bewitching face. You will rue it, Trevor—you’ll rue it, as Iam a living woman,” Gomichboo (EO) m