The Argosy — page 187: what you’re looking at

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

170 Lady Valera. the Bank Holiday difficulty, partly by the consideration that the last remnants of the young gentleman’s infantile loveliness were fast disappearing. ‘They had early morning sittings and pic-nic breakfasts together in the studio, before the day got hot or Jock cantankerous. ‘They shortened the long, light, sleepless nights for Hester and were a source of huge delight to her model. Jock and Fraulein were going off on some private expedition of their own on that special Monday. ‘‘ You'll come to me all the same at six to-morrow,” Hester begged him. ‘All right, but you must have sausages. No? Eggs then, and me to boil them.” Hester agreed, with a further promise of marmalade. “And a story. A good one. [ll tell you what. [ll have all about Mr. Poynter.” “Mr. Poynter! Why? What do you know about him ?” “Lots. You bet. I know what Fraulein and Mr. de Cressy were saying last night in the gardens, when she thought I’d gone in to bed.” “Don’t say ‘you bet,’ and tell me directly.” But Jock only crowed like a cock. Next morning, when he had lighted the little gas-stove, boiled two eggs, one hard and one soft, by the cook’s egg-boiler, opened a fresh pot of marmalade and made a telephone of the bladder, he repeated his demand, and listened with a queer knowing air to his sister’s version of the story that was never done telling itself over and over again in her poor little tormented brain. “Ts that all? Didn’t they find blood anywhere? Hadn’t he a mortal enemy? Do you think he’s in disguise P—No?_ I know he’s dead though.” “Why, Jock? What ad you hear?” “You ask Mr. de Cressy. J’m to keep my mouth quiet—you’ve just said so.” Nor could threats or entreaties extract more. She had at first been feverishly anxious for a chance of questioning the Curate, but Fate and the Hon. Mrs. Randolf were too many for her that afternoon ; and she suffered the cares of the expedition to absorb her as no personal ones could have done. ‘To be always at hand for everybody’s reference in everybody’s emergency was the smallest part of her self-imposed duty, and her first quiet moment was when she found herself with some of the youngest and wildest girls ina boat, on the watch to prevent their upsetting themselves or it in their wild ecstasies at the sight of the flowing water, the great bulrushes nodding over their heads, the tufts of scented meadow-sweet and purple loose-strife. Snatches of talk from the two girls in the bows floated to her over the head and shoulders of the boatman in the middle. ‘ Believe it or not, as you like, Nelly Parsons—I saw her with my own eyes.” “Elsie Paramount! Ina carriage! With a lace sunshade! I like that!” CORNICE DOO KS (C(O)