The Argosy — page 162: what you’re looking at

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

_ Hester. 147 The breathless excitement among the people of Tahiti when their King Pomare instituted Christianity by cutting up and eating the sacred turtle—the sensations which stirred the simple islanders of Hawaii as Queen Kapiolanl, descending to the brink of the fiery crater, plucked a handful of Pele’s consecrated berries—could not well have exceeded the commotion created in Silvercombe as this piece of news ran like a magnetic current through Maria and her gossips, and finally by way of the Rector’s William, who served as conductor, to the gentry of the village. Mrs. Tracy was a pretty young widow, who in social life had lately proved herself a formidable rival to the Silvercombe girls of less experience. She had established herself some twelve months since in the best apartments the primitive little place afforded, and seemed in no haste to quit them, though it was understood that she was merely on the wing to other climes. What share her interest in Captain Guest had in detaining her at Silvercombe was best known to herself, but however well-founded had been her hopes of one day reigning at Guestwycke as his wife, they were now shattered for ever. But the fact of the conquest alone increased her importance immensely in Silvercombe society. The charming young widow had of course been credited with vague aspirations, matrimony-wards, but that she should have aimed so high and brought down her bird ...... Silvercombe could not recover its astonishment. Public opinion had always hitherto destined Hester Conway for the heir of Guestwycke, but now it underwent a change. People felt how impossible it was that Hester with all her sweet grace and gentle dignity should ever have aspired to rival Mrs. Tracy’s maturer, more astutely managed charms. The Hester who returned from Guestwycke at the end of the week,, pale and wan, with dark rings encircling her beautiful fawn-like eyes, pointed the contrast all the more strongly. As usual the person most: concerned was the last to hear the news which had been worn thread- bare with discussion during her two days’ absence. ‘To her sisters’ surprise she received it with total incredulity. | ‘““T don’t believe it!” she said bluntly, turning suddenly upon Dora with a pale, proud face. ‘‘ My dear Hester, she says so herself! Surely she ought to know. And indeed, now we come to think of it, they were a great deal! together while you were away the early part of last winter, before he went abroad.” “It’s uncommonly strange; but she has actually put on mourning for him, so of course it must be true,’ supplemented Kathleen. ‘Poor Talbot! You know we used to tease you about him at one time, Hester ; indeed, all Silvercombe thought——” ‘‘Good-night. You must tell me all the news to-morrow; I am too tired to talk to-night. Please send me up a cup of tea presently ;: I won’t come down again.” COLUM ©) NOOKS (SO) mn