The Argosy — page 297: what you’re looking at

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

278 The Amethyst Seal. Bruce Wenlock met him at the station with the dogcart. “T have made up my mind at last,” said Harold, as they drove along together. ‘* Made up your mind to what ?” ‘‘’To propose to Elinor Trenton.” ‘You ought to have made up your mind long ago, as I advised you.” ‘What do you mean ?” “Simply that you are too late in the field. James Boyd proposed to her yesterday and was accepted.” Dare sat like a man stupefied. After a long silence he said: ‘I thought you told me that Boyd was under a three years’ engagement in South America.” “So he is. He went out as sub-engineer, but the chief engineer having died, they have given Boyd his berth. He is over in England to see about some new machinery, and I suppose he thinks that he can now afford to marry.” There was another long pause before Harold spoke again. ‘Then he asked: ‘‘ Does your father know of this arrangement ?” ‘Certainly he does—and approves of it. You must remember that James Boyd is the son of one of his oldest friends.” ‘¢ And he will have six thousand pounds with his wife, though he doesn’t know it,” said Harold to himself. His thoughts were very bitter. He loved Elinor Trenton as much as it was in his shallow, selfish nature to love anyone other than him- self; and—such is human nature—now that she was lost to him he felt that she was dearer to him than she had ever been before. How he fumed at his stupidity for not having foreseen that Sir George would hardly fail to remember in his will one who had been to him almost asa child of his own, and for not having proposed to her, and run the risk of everything coming right in the end! Yes, his thoughts were very bitter. He had time to school himself before he met her, so that she should not even suspect the wound under his armour. He greeted her with easy, smiling cordiality, and accorded her his congratulations in a few happily-turned phrases. Never had Harold Dare seemed in a gayer or merrier humour than he was that night. Bruce Wenlock looked on and wondered. Alas! for the morrow. Next day was Christmas Eve, and the guests began to arrive by ones and twos. On account of the state of Sir George’s health the gathering at the Towers this Christmas was to be a comparatively small one, being confined to relatives and the more intimate friends of the family. | Bruce and Harold were playing a game of billiards by the waning light of the afternoon, having the room to themselves, when a servant entered and stated that ‘‘a person” from London desired to see Mr. Dare on a matter of importance. CORMIELICOO KS. (EC)