The Argosy — page 165: what you’re looking at

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

150 The Invalids’ Corner. for five months he had never left, except to be carried to his sofa or bed, dashed forward at once to rescue his darling’s remains, or perish in the attempt. If he lives to a hundred, he will never forget the moments of agony he spent before he reached the place where Edith had disap- peared, and could look over and see where she was. Every cruel word he had ever spoken to her, every syllable of reproach he had poured out on her devoted head came back to him, and he could almost have shrieked aloud to heaven for help, when he suddenly saw Edith’s face rising over the cliffs. He stood motionless: then — he rushed forward and, without one word, drew her hands in his, and dragged her forcibly up to a level with him. ‘Then he looked over: no harm was done. ‘The soft red earth had crumbled a little and slid a short distance down towards the sea, but in so gentle a decline that a child could not have been hurt in the least, and all Edith had had to do, was to turn, and, with small detriment to anything save her garments, climb back again to terra firma. “Thank God for the landslip!” said the Major, after the first explanations were over; and Edith having heard all his story and told hers in return, had consented to take up again her twisted threads of life, and make the best of what was left them both. “Tf it had not been for seeing you go over the cliff, I should never have spoken to you again.” | ‘’ Oh, yes, you would,” said Edith as she shyly took his hand in hers: “for I could not stand the idea of its being Christmas, and you all alone and sad. And when I was coming towards you, I was going slowly in order to make up my mind exactly what to call you. Frank seemed dead to me; Major Priestly was not my old friend ; and Francis seemed as if I wanted to be severe—and I did not. I only wanted to make you happy, and see the smile I knew so well return. I forgot everything, Frank, except that I loved you, and that you were in trouble.” And lifting up her face to his, she gave him the first kiss she had given him for eight long, weary years. Then suddenly down in the valley, the bells began to ring, and the sound came on the breeze through the pine trees, in a measured cadence. ““Good-bye to the Invalids’ Corner for me,” said the Major. ‘That wretched doctor would have kept me another month on my back, but you can see for yourself how well I am.” And, indeed, when that ‘‘ wretched invalid” came out to sit in the sunshine when the mist had disappeared, expecting to find Edith as _usual, ready to read to him, he was electrified to see her walking to meet him, leaning lovingly on the strong arm of the other habitué of the Invalids’ Corner. CONIC OOOlKS (EO)