The Argosy — page 67: what you’re looking at

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

54 Christobel. too much. You are so anxious for our amusement that you never give yourself any rest.” “TIT do not think I exert myself especially,” answered Geraldine, with a faint smile. ‘You are generally all kind enough to amuse yourselves.” “You do too much, far too much,” persisted Mrs. Chisholm, smothering a yawn behind her fan. ‘‘Three days ago you had a dance ; to-morrow you have a dinner party. By the bye, who is coming from Sir Edward’s ?” She asked this question briskly, remembering one of the baronet’s guests, who might act as a fillip to Major Fortescue’s languid ‘‘ intentions.” “ Only Sir Edward and Mr. Vandyken, the American millionaire.” Miss Millicent’s fan falling at this moment to the floor, she stooped to pick it up, but as she did so it became entangled in the trimming of her dress, and she could not release it. Christobel rose and crossed the room to help her. “Take care!” cried Miss Millicent, in a low voice, and laid her hand on the young girl’s shoulder. ‘The lace was very costly ; pro- bably she did not wish it torn. But Miss Fane was so long over the task, that at last Geraldine came in her turn to the rescue. As she bent down to give her services, she was surprised to observe that the cause of Christobel’s failure were her trembling and _ icy-cold fingers. ‘Are you ill?” she asked, kindly, struck next with the girl’s death- like appearance. “Til! Nonsense ! she is never ill,” interrupted Miss Millicent, but her glance had an anxious expression which did not accord with her words. At the same moment she herself released the fan by a move- ment so abrupt that the lace was torn. Mrs. Chisholm cast Miss Fane a scrutinising glance, but before her penetration had time to work, a diversion was effected by the entrance of Mr. Sherlock. He came in noiselessly, a small, fresh-faced, wizened old gentleman, dressed with a faultless, old-fashioned care. “Tt is half a century since we met,” he said, going straight up to Miss Millicent. ‘They were uncle and niece, but there was not above a dozen years’ difference in their ages, Miss Millicent being the eldest of her family. She received him with a graciousness extraordinary for her, and had barely responded to his greeting before she drew Christobel forward with a marked alacrity, saying: ‘‘ This is the person I love best in the world. You will be kind to her, I hope.” It was a strange speech to make, especially before her own kindred, and a room full of strangers as well, and Mr. Hillyer felt deeply offended and incensed. But the effect produced on Mr. Sherlock, _ either by Miss Millicent’s words or by Miss Fane’s own beauty, was apparently very favourable. He fixed his small, dull eyes on the girl’s lovely face ; talked to her in his dry, jerky way ; and finally, when the ECORNICIOOKS.E) m