The Argosy — page 170: what you’re looking at

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

A Glove’s Evidence. 155 Poet ee Mer dity iuogny capacity... orphan .°. .’ father, a tutor, died penniless a few months since . . . daughter left to support her- self.” Having made entries in her book to the above effect, Mrs. Toppin gave back the letter, and turned over several leaves of the volume be- fore her. Then, running her forefinger quickly down the page, she arrested it suddenly. Looking up sharply over her spectacles, she said : “Lady Jakes wants a maid immediately. To a qualified young person a liberal salary will be given. One who has lived in a high family preferred.” “I am afraid I cannot fulfil these requirements “You're the likeliest ’ve seen. You speak gentler than they do, for the most part, about here—more like a Londoner. Her lady- ship wants something genteel, and she’s in a hurry to get suited. Here’s the address. It’s the large house with a lodge and iron gates at the end of this street. You'd best apply at once.” ‘Thank you. I will.” “And I wish her joy of the place, poor young woman, if she gets it! She’s rare hard to please, is my Lady Jakes!” ejaculated Mrs. ‘Toppin as she removed her spectacles, wiped them, and _ transferred them to their case. The rain still poured down in torrents, but Margaret Johnson walked on regardless of the storm. She had no difficulty in finding the lodge and iron gates. But when the door of the large house was opened by a smart footman, she felt not a little nervous as she explained her errand. In afew moments she was shown into a room, the amber and gilt furniture of which looked all the more gaudy when contrasted with the lady sitting there—a lady dressed in the deepest and most expensive of widow’s weeds. She was a little woman of florid com- plexion, with light blue eyes, bright and vivacious in manner and jooking younger than her thirty years. Despite her sombre crape she wore many diamond rings which glittered on the fingers of her small white hands, and the white lisse arrangement on the top of her fuzzy light hair was secured there by diamond pins. ‘“A young person after the place, my lady,” announced the foot- man. ‘“Where have you lived?” was the first question of Lady Jakes, when the door was closed. Margaret proffered the letter Mrs. Toppin had read. ‘The lady ran her glance quickly over it. “Canon Bywell?” she said, as she gave it back. “Oh, what a canon says—especially a canon of D must be true! My last maid left me because she didn’t seem to know her things from mine. She wasn’t honest. At all events, I can have no fears on that score respecting you with such a character as this. But can you dress hair? Can vou sew well? Keep my wardrobe in repair? Make and alter ) CORNICE OO cS (SO)