The Argosy — page 369: what you’re looking at

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

348 Lady Valeria. “T am afraid I can give her no comfort,” spoke Eustace, in a tone that made his brother look up astonished. ‘‘The question will be decided for me before very long, I daresay. Whichever way it is de- cided will be final; and I can promise to let her know with all speed. Will that pacify her mind—until the heir is born?” If there were a sneer latent in the last words Major Stannard did not detect it, merely giving an approving nod and a murmured * Good luck to you, my boy,” with an emphatic shake of his broad shoulders, as if he felt them lightened of the burden of Amy’s last and weightiest commission. Then he departed to his tailor’s, leaving his brother to arrange for the next day’s services. ‘“* To-morrow /’’ exclaimed Lionel de Cressy when informed of the change. ‘Shall you be away to-morrow P ” ‘‘T have a particular reason for wishing to be at Altcar with my brother, or I should not think of leaving you just now.” “Oh, it’s not that. We shall get on right enough. I was think- ing of Mrs. Damien. You know she is going away 2?” Eustace nodded, apparently intent on the papers on his writing- table. “ T told you, didn’t I, that I met her at Lady Vesey’s concert, and she said she wanted to say good-bye to her girls after Evensong.” “Yes. And then?” queried the Vicar, still impassive. «She said, you know, that she hoped she should see you then. It was her last chance, she said. She seemed to make quite a point of my telling you so,” said the Curate, enviously. ‘‘ Won’t it look rather marked if you don’t leave some message, or write or call?” Lionel had got rather into the way of regarding his Vicar as a sort of venerable hermit ; to be revered for his wisdom and virtues, but also occasionally to be guided and enlightened as to the customs of the outer world. ‘T shall not forget,” Mr. Stannard answered, with a repressed smile playing round the corners of his mouth. ‘I will certainly write or call. You may be sure I shall not let Mrs. Damien leave England without my seeing her.” “You ought to call on a Monday ; that is the day to find her at home,” said the Curate, still in his capacity of mentor, and then left the Vicar to his preparations for his journey. The smile soon faded from Eustace’s lips, and the dark shadow that his brother’s words had raised settled down on his face again. He rested his head on his hands, as if wearied with long and anxious thought. ‘The morning had brought him no nearer to the solution of the difficulties over which he had vexed himself the night through. On his table lay a pile of letters unfolded and arranged in order of their dates. Under his hand, while de Cressy had been speaking, lay another which he had selected from the rest. They were all in COMMICOOOKS.E@ im