The Argosy — page 91: what you’re looking at

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

76 Cousin Barbara’s Prejudice. He was gone, but her words followed him all through the wood ; seemed to be echoing among the leaves. In the Vicarage garden stood Madge, fresh and pure and lovely- looking, in the daintiest of blue muslins. She kissed her hand to him when from some distance she perceived him, and he scarcely re- turned the salutation as coldly as he intended, for at the sight of her more than half his suspicions seemed to disappear. Her love a sham, her kisses but to betray? Could woman be so false ? “Oh, Trevor,” she cried out when he was within hearing, “ such glorious news I have for you. Your brother Wilfrid has not so utterly ruined my father as was at first imagined! Some of the property is saved, and I shall have a dof, and not come to your home an utter beggar.” ‘‘T do not want money,” answered Trevor, scarcely graciously. ‘“‘ I have enough for both.” ‘Why, Trevor, what has happened? How gloomy and stern you look.” ‘Something has happened which has upset me _ exceedingly. Those letters—Wilfrid’s letter, that you saw in my drawer last night— are gone.” And he looked at her very fixedly while he spoke. ‘‘ Gone—what do you mean?” “Some one has taken them away: do you know who it is?” “ Trevor, you frighten me—don’t glance at me like that—but tell me—whose interest would it be to take them? What are they about P” : “ T am afraid you know full well what they are about.” “T! Why, it was only last night I discovered that Wilfrid Lane was your brother.” “Ah! You are a good actress, Miss Craigie.” ‘‘ Trevor—great heaven, Trevor—you do not believe that I ——— oh, this is too absurd !” ‘You know nothing of the disappearance of those letters?” ‘‘ Nothing, upon my word—as I stand here a living woman, I swear it.” He shook his head; her very determined assurance made him doubt her more, and he turned away. ‘‘ Alas, Miss Craigie, that I should live to say it, but till those letters are found I can enter into no further engagement. Robbing me of them could be the act of no common thief, attracted by an open door; other valuables which were in the room have not dis- appeared,” ‘‘ As you will,” she answered, bowing her head proudly. “If you can believe this of me, it is indeed better we should part.” And so, as Trevor had promised, in less than an hour he returned to Barbara in the studio; but during all that day, and for many days to come, both the conversation and the painting went on haltingly. GEomichbooks.co m