The Argosy — page 368: what you’re looking at

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

Lady Valeria. 347 “T wonder how many times you have been tempted to knock me down for an interfering prig. You’ve had an uncommon lot of patience and forbearance with me in your day, I suspect.” Then they both laughed, and, lighting up their cigars, stepped out into the fresh June night and sat on the big tombstone, talking by snatches or enjoying one another’s presence in silence—a significant sign of good understanding—till the great June moon sank behind the chimney pots. Major Randolf’s plans for a long day’s holiday with his brother only survived the arrival of the first post next morning. | ‘“ How do you get to Richmond ?” he asked, suddenly. * You go to Waterloo to begin with. What do you want there ?” “It’s a hideous nuisance, but I’ve got to go, itseems. Some friends of Amy’s live there. People she took a fancy to on the P. and O. steamer coming home. She’s gone and written to them to arrange that I shall go down and see them this afternoon ; dine there, possibly. Confound their civility.” Telegraph an excuse.” “That won’t do either. Amy thinks she’d like to go and stay with them some day, and I’m to suggest it if they seem open to the idea. Don’t you see?” | The Vicar did see, and bowed to the decrees of Fate and the Hon. Mrs. Stannard. ‘“‘We must make the most of the morning then. What shall we do?” The poor Major’s face lengthened dolorously. ‘‘ Here’s another nuisance. Amy says I must get home by Thursday, so that cuts off the day I meant to have in town after Altcar. I’ve a lot to do about uniform and things of that sort, so I’ve only got to-day to do it in. It’s no good asking you to come with me to Richmond, is it? Amy suggests that the Maxwells will be charmed to see you if I take you down, but I don’t know m “Certainly not.” Eustace promptly disposed of this cool sugges- tion. ‘‘I think I can devise a better plan. I must go down to Altcar at once. I—I have a special reason. I can start this morn- ing and you can come down straight from Richmond. We can spend Sunday together there as well as here, and I can come up by the early train on Monday.” “‘ Better than nothing,” assented the Major, who was still perusing his wife’s letter with a bothered air. ‘Amy is quite well, I hope, and the baby ?” Eustace enquired. “All right. She asks after you, sends her love, you know, and says —how women’s heads do run on marriage!” broke off Randolf, with an impatient laugh. ‘I suppose I can tell her you have nothing of the sort at present in view? It would really compose her mind, she says, and save her all that she went through before this baby was born, if she quite knew your intentions ; so as to know how to look upon the boy—when he comes.” COMmicaooks (S©) im