The Argosy — page 331: what you’re looking at

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

312 Mr. Fermyn’s Racquet. picture gallery ; or would have sat silently side by side through the dreariest of entertainments—so long as they had not been startled into doing anything else. But Mr. Jermyn had, so to speak, burst upon Miss Raymond; Miss Raymond had started, flushed a faint pink, and bowed slightly; and Miss Raymond’s aunt, a good humoured dowager, after first casting one astonished stare, had bowed also. ‘To cover the embarrassment of all this, they had, as it were, been driven into a conversation. There was to be a great tennis tournament on the morrow, and Miss Raymond, to fill up rather a lengthy pause, had just somewhat nervously enquired if Mr. Jermyn intended to play. Before he had time to answer for himself, someone else, sitting near, interrupted quickly. “Why, Miss Raymond, is it possible that you can know Mr. Jermyn, and yet think it necessary to ask him such a question ? ” She laughed more easily : 1t was much more comfortable that another should join in the conversation. ‘‘’Then you still play as much as ever, Mr. Jermyn ?” ‘“‘ Rather more, I believe,” he answered, slowly. ‘I came over from Bresswood specially for to-morrow’s match.” “Did you bring your racquet with you, Jermyn?” called out a voice from the other side of the room. ‘Of course,” smiled Mr. Jermyn. : _ The last speaker came strolling forward, and laughed as he came. “Tt is the most peculiar infatuation Mr. Jermyn has for that racquet of his,” he said, crossing his hands upon the back of a chair near Miss Raymond, and speaking to her. ‘‘As you seem to be old acquaintances, perhaps you can throw some light upon the matter, Miss Raymond ? | He must have paid a small fortune in getting it re-netted and re-loaded ; | but buy a new one he positively will not. He solemnly assured me | the other day that he would rather miss the best match in the world | than play with any other.” The colour had all gone out of Miss Raymond’s face now. She answered rather stiffly : “YT should think it quite possible that Mr. Jermyn would keep to his resolution.” “Yes, I shall keep to it,” said he, rising lazily, and bending over a pile of music on the piano. “JI think when one says a thing, one ought to stick to it; and when one plays with a racquet, one ought to stick to the racquet.” A laugh broke out all over this corner of the room ; everyone was listening now to the discussion about the racquet. ‘Then you really have registered a vow to that effect, Jermyn ?” ‘““Oh—a vow!” objected he. ‘That is a strong expression.” “Tt must be something quite as solemn 4 He laughed. ‘The simple fact of the matter,” he explained, “ is that I once happened to remark that I would never play with any ECORMNICLIOOKS eC)