The Argosy — page 340: what you’re looking at

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

Caroline Heath. 321 was dancing with George Rochester. They seemed to be very, very intimate, she and he, and Caroline’s heart grew sick and cold. Next she saw him dancing with Emma Williams ; but he did not come to ask her. Only once during all that bitter afternoon, did he approach Caroline in converse; and then he entered upon ordinary topics—the gay scene before them, the superb weather, and so on. ‘We have not seen much of you the last week or so,” she took courage at length to say; and only herself knew what effort it cost her to speak calmly. ‘‘T have been very busy,” he answered. ‘‘ Now that the line is progressing it takes up more of my attention than it took at first, and while my mother is here she claims from me most of my leisure time.” ‘‘ Of course ; I understand that,” said Caroline. But not a word had he said of regret ; not a hint given that in time their former intercourse should be renewed. At that moment Miss Ormby crossed the lawn with Emma Williams. “That is your cousin, I think ?” said Caroline. ‘‘ Yes, that’s Grace,” he assented. ‘‘ She fe Mrs. Heath came back to her seat then from the refreshment room, and he did not finish his sentence. Close upon that he was told that his mother waited, and soon afterwards Caroline saw Lady Rochester’s barouche drive away, herself and Grace Ormby seated in it side by side, and George Rochester opposite to them. How very dark the sky had suddenly grown. Caroline looked up to see if the sun still shone ; it was setting in clouds of crimson and gold. Was she quite unconscious that the change had only been wrought by his departure ? The next day there was a wedding in Briarly church; a quaint little low church nestling in its graveyard. John Arkright had espoused Martha Brand, and Caroline was bridesmaid. ‘Tt will show people that you are not pining all forlorn, anyway,” Mrs. Heath had remarked when Caroline was invited to take the office. ‘* You were a great simpleton, Carry, to give John Arkright up. Half the parish thinks it was he who gave up you; he may protest to the contrary till he’s red in the face, and does, I believe ; they’ll never believe him.” There came another glorious sunset. October was in now with its beautiful lights and changing foliage, reminders of the winter that ~ would soon be at hand. ‘The snows and frosts, the dark days of the bitterest winter the world can know, could not match the winter reigning in Caroline Heath’s heart. Yet this sunset was very lovely ; even she, with all her pain, could notice that. Everyone was away at home, and she had seized the occasion to get an evening to herself. COMIC OOO Ss (CO)