The Argosy — page 71: what you’re looking at

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

58 Christobel. It was when the httle disturbance consequent on all this had sub- sided that Mr. Hillyer introduced the American to his sister and to Christobel. Miss Millicent was probably still too shaken to behave in quite a normal manner. Be that as it may, she did not bow—only fixed her glittering glance, grown all at once so intense, on the stranger. Christobel bent her head slightly, almost haughtily, as it seemed to Geraldine, who, fascinated by everything she did, wondered vaguely at the cause. During dinner Mr. Vandyken talked delightfully, telling curious anecdotes of men and things, and relating adventures in the far wild west, till everybody hung upon his words, and Miss Millicent above all listened with a breathless attention. He had the art, so rare—in a raconteur of Anglo-Saxon origin, at any rate—of knowing when to cease relating ; and as the evening went on he turned his attention to England, and especially the neighbourhood where he was at present ; asking intelligent, well-bred questions about everything. “This is one of the fine old houses which delight us Americans,” he observed presently, glancing round the beautiful old-fashioned room. ‘‘ We read of such houses, and dream of them until all our luxury seems vulgar in comparison. JI noticed that your library was oak-panelled. You have a picture gallery, of course?” “Not a large collection, but we can boast some good family portraits,” said Mr. Hillyer. ‘‘We have been painted indeed in every generation, but not always by famous hands. Would you like to see the pictures ? ” “No!” abruptly cried Miss Millicent, to everybody’s astonishment, and she looked inexplicably troubled. ‘‘ There is nothing to see,” she added, turning almost entreatingly, as it seemed, to Mr. Van- dyken. ‘The pictures are worthless.” “Worthless!” echoed Mr. Hillyer, indignantly. ‘‘ What are you thinking of, Millicent? There are portraits by Lely, and Kneller, and Reynolds. Worthless indeed!” The Squire was irritated at the bare idea, and took no pains to conceal his annoyance. “IT should most certainly like to see these portraits,” said Mr. Vandyken in his smooth, pleasant way ; and everybody being curious now about the pictures, the whole party moved off to the gallery. They passed in review all the dead and gone Hillyers. Ladies in ruffs and stiff brocades, and ladies in white satin; knights in armour, and cavaliers in buff jerkins and plumed hats; damsels in sacques with powdered locks, and haughty-looking gentlemen in sky-blue coats leaning on diamond-hilted swords : a goodly array, with some famous personages among them, but mostly mere commonplace. The millionaire listened with flattering attention to all the family histories, - and paused some minutes even before the totally uninteresting pre- sentment of the master of the house. ‘‘There is not much in that portrait,” said Mr. Hillyer, with the Gomilcbaooksnco m