The Argosy — page 70: what you’re looking at

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

Christobel. — 57 ‘Never mind my plans. ‘They concern me. All you have to do is to be passive. ‘That odious widow, with her airs and her eye-glass —she sees better than anybody, I am sure—did she ever meet you before P” “ T don’t think so.” “ And Captain Verschoyle?” A faint blush rose to Christobel’s cheek. “He is safe,” she said, reluctantly. “Humph!” Miss Millicent looked at her closely, all agitation in her exchanged for scrutiny. ‘I hope you are not sentimental. ‘That would spoil everything. And now go to bed, my dear.” Christobel stooped, and gently kissed the withered cheek. Miss Millicent took the caress stonily enough; but when alone she folded her hands with a sudden, apparently involuntarily gesture, and uttered half aloud a wish so fervent that it was like a prayer. Ill. Or the various guests at dinner next day at the Hall, by far the most interesting was the American millionaire, Mr. Vandyken. He wasa remarkable looking man, distinguished, almost princely in appear- ance. His dark eyebrows and singularly brilliant black eyes, were in striking contrast to his snow-white beard and hair; his features were delicate, his figure slight and tall. He had a charming voice and pleasant, easy manners, with none of the prosiness and the twang of the typical Transatlantic nouveau riche. In the quarter of an hour which elapsed between his arrival and the announcement of dinner he managed to make a good impression on everybody—with one exception. That exception, as Geraldine saw or fancied, was Miss Fane. Christobel and Miss Millicent had come in the last of all to dinner, the latter having been all the afternoon unwell. She had been seized with a sudden nervous trembling and an unaccountable excitement, very strange in one usually so self-possessed. The Squire, alarmed, had wished to send for a doctor; but to this his sister would not consent. She wanted no advice, she said; she knew how to manage herself; and Christobel alone was to wait on her. Even the gentle services of Geraldine were rejected, although the girl, always touched at the sight of suffering, had shown the full measure of her sweet, untiring sympathy. When Miss Millicent appeared, at last, leaning on Christobel’s arm, it was plain that, if better, she was by no means well. While her eyes were unnaturally bright, her hands were shaking, and she was deadly pale. At the moment of gaining her chair, she stumbled and almost fell, so that several people precipitated themselves to help her, and even Mr. Vandyken made a courtly movement forwards. CoOnmmiclooolkks (S©@)