The Argosy — page 216: what you’re looking at

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

A Country Heart. 199 evidently having his say; the say which he had come all the way from Scotland to “‘ have out” with Kate Verey; and very soon both her hands found their way into his, and her eyes roved no longer along: - the sunlit furrow, but looked straight up into his dark face, and the compact was completed. Presently he puts his hand into his waist- coat pocket and draws forth a tiny parcel; a diamond ring with a. broad gold setting. “ Look inside,” and he holds it slanting so that she can read the: letters engraved within—“G. and K., 22nd August, 1882 ”—and} then he slips the ring on to her third finger. “22nd of August! Why, that is to-day. How did you come tm know that we —-—,, that 1s that I ?” She stops in confusion. “How did I know that we should want an engagement ring this. very day? Because I had made up my mind, and was not going to» take any refusal,” he answers; and Kate thinks that a masterful lover is the most delightful thing in the world. “Of course you knew for certain I was here,” she goes on, with: her old desire to tease this confident person reviving in her. “ But: suppose I had been out, or ill, or at a picnic, and we had not met for a day or two, after all; what would you have done with your 22nd of August? Good gracious!”—as the repeated date touched some: hitherto slumbering chord of memory—“‘“ it is that poor boy’s birth- day, and I promised a week ago to keep it with him. Now, what will) he think of me? What have I done? How could I forget it so. completely ?” And she looks really so discomforted and confused that Captaim Anstey stares, and answers : ““What can it matter what any boy thinks of you? Tell him, who- ever he is, that you had more important things to think about, andi then take him to the cake shop in Torferry, and give him a feed to make up. Or I'll tip him, if you like.” But these liberal ideas of consolation fail to comfort Kate for her careless treatment of her poor young friend. She feels as if a chill’ cloud had suddenly come over the perfect day, and again and again her thoughts will recur to poor Harry’s disappointment, in spite of Gerard Anstey’s attentions. He naturally thinks himself the hero of the hour, and cannot imagine why Kate should waste any considera- tion over the feelings of a boy (as far as Captain Anstey recollects,, there are many very easy ways of assuaging a boy’s wounded feelings): and his fiancée does not think necessary to explain that this boy is a. head and shoulders taller than the Captain, and has quite as fine moustache. IV, MEANWHILE the young Squire has wakened with the thought that the pleasantest day of his life has dawned ; a day of which, in spite of Fate in the shape of Madam Tredennick, he means to be com- - CoOnniclooolkks (CO)