The Argosy — page 343: what you’re looking at

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

322 The Mystery of Allan Grale. Dr. Palmer fully understood. He saw Maria once or twice, when paying his visits to George, who did not seem to recover as he ought ; and a few days passed on. ) ‘Do you think Maria Vivian will see me, if I call, papa?” asked Agnes Palmer, one slumbrous August afternoon. “Is she well enough to do so? I should like to go up there.” ‘‘She will be sure to see you,” replied the Doctor. ‘ You are her great favourite, you know, Agnes.” And so Agnes started off in the evening, leaving Lettice in the midst of her white bridal sewing. Lettice stood at her casement, watching her sister go swiftly and firmly down the road. Agnes looked back ere she turned the corner, and kissed her hand. ‘Why should all the happiness be mine?” Lettice sighed, as she resumed her task. ‘‘ Agnes will never care for anyone else as she could have cared for Edgar Vivian—aye, as she does care for him, whatever be the truth of this mystery. Poor Agnes! ‘To think how happy she might have been !” Never mind, Lettice. ‘There are those who willingly leave the fertile valleys for the bleak mountain peaks. The eagle shuns not the storm, catching in it wild ecstasies of passion and power, and glorious secrets of air and sky and sea, of which the little linnet in her sheltered nest can scarcely dream. Agnes did not make her visit very long: and if she brought Maria any special comfort, she must have conveyed it in her kiss and hand-clasp, for their talk was of simple things, of little incidents in the lives of their humble neighbours, and of Lettice’s prepara- tions for her wedding-day. ‘They both knew that this was best, and neither misunderstood the other’s reticence. When Agnes took leave, Maria did not leave her room, or ring to summon a servant. To be sure, Agnes Palmer was a very intimate friend at the Court, and accustomed to find her way about there without ceremony. Or possibly Maria was growing a little indifferent and forgetful of conventional courtesies. Going through the hall, Agnes had to pass the door of the dining- room, which stood open. Edgar Vivian was seated there. He sprang up, and came forward to greet her, and stepped with her across the terrace bareheaded. ‘What a beautiful evening—yet it is cool,” she said. “If you are coming down the avenue, had you not better take your hat?” she added, kindly. It was her maidenly way of giving him leave to come. He said nothing, but went back into the house and returned, wearing it. ‘‘ Maria seems to be wonderfully well,” she remarked. ‘Perhaps you expected to find her very ill,” he answered. ‘She has been talking and laughing with me.” ‘Ah, she bears up ‘ wonderfully,—the word you have just used. Gomilchbooks. Go