The Argosy — page 382: what you’re looking at

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

Extracts from the Diary of a Young Lady. 361 ‘‘T want to let you know the story,” he said, “‘and I have not much time. You know there was always a quarrel, and he treated my mother so badly after my father’s death—you know how I loved my mother. I was half mad with anger, and I was a wild fellow—lI have told you that before, Lucy ; always in some scrape or another. I tried to make him do her justice. It was money she ough? to have, and he kept it, from some legal quibble or other. I left my regiment. I had been laid up with some trifling illness and was supposed to be stillin.my own room. A good fellow, Morley, a brother officer, was to conceal my absence and to let me know the minute matters looked dangerous. I got off in a smuggler’s craft disguised as a sailor—my regiment was in the Isle of Man. I was like a schoolboy out ona freak. It was the fun of the thing I liked, though in a rage with my uncle, and determined to beard him—poor fellow.” Here I gave him some of the nourishment ordered ; he swallowed it and continued his story : ‘T saw him and he refused everything. I said I would make him do it, but I had to run off, for somebody came. Later in the day I sot a telegram, mysteriously worded and addressed to a false name, from Morley, bidding me return at once or all would be discovered and I a ruined man, a disgraced soldier. My craft agreed for a con sideration to sail with the first tide next morning. I tracked Sir John to the wood, and again demanded my mother’s money. He refused— I threatened—he pointed his gun at me, saying he was afraid of his life. I saw that mine was really in danger, jumped at him, and caught hold of the gun; he wrested it from me, and when in his hand it went off. The next moment a man, who did not know me, had me by the throat, crying out, ‘You have murdered him ;’ and after a deadly scuffle, I flung him off. You see, if I was taken or stopped, and Sir John told who I was or anything, I was ruined and disgraced for ever. So I just took to my heels and fled—I ran for my life. I did not know my poor uncle had shot himself in wresting his gun from me, but I soon found there was a hue and cry after me, which made me fear something bad had happened. Ah, my dear, you know the rest.” It was wonderful how Marcus had rallied, and with what spirit and fire he told his story. But what wonder could compare with the change wrought in the mind of the girl who listened to him. The whole world was transformed again. A miracle had been worked. He was innocent! A flood of joy and gratitude rushed over me. I found no diffi- culty in believing now. ‘There was no stunned feeling, no impossi- bility. ‘The wonder was that I had ever thought him guilty. He! Marcus ! my husband! the noblest of men. I covered his dear hands with kisses in humble reverence. ‘‘T was such a bad fellow,” he said, smiling and stroking my hair ; “‘ or, if not bad, such a thoughtless harum-scarum fool. You saved me, COnnicoooks (CO)