The Argosy — page 214: what you’re looking at

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

Fohn Davidson. 197 had crossed either of their lips since Miss Egerton’s little mocking remark. They paused at the door of the factory and Mr. Davidson turned to her, his face expressive of cold disapproval. ‘‘T have come all this way past the woolshop with you,” she said, with a little attempt at bravado, ‘‘and now I think you ought to go back with me.” Most willingly,” replied Mr. John Davidson, frigidly. And before she could prevent him he had wheeled round and walked to the end of the street with her. At the door of the woolshop he lifted his hat and left her. It was later in the day, and even warmer, when Victoria got back to Mrs. Hattley’s, and in the quiet solitude of her own room she threw herself into an easy chair and burst into a passionate flood of tears. IIT. More than a month had passed. It was the last day of September —a chilly, windy morning—and Mrs. Hattley, turning into the court- yard of the factory, in her handsomely-appointed barouche, pulled her sable mantle closer and shivered. As the carriage drew up at the portion of the building where Mr. Hattley’s offices were situated, Mr. John Davidson appeared at a doorway. Mrs. Hattley alighted hastily and shook hands very graciously. During the past month John Davidson had been frequently at the Hattleys’. Mr. Hattley, on the point of starting for an important business trip to America, had much to settle with his manager. Mrs. Hattley had, at the beginning, almost felt offended at Mr. Davidson’s extreme formality of manner both to her and Victoria. Often Mr. Hatt- Jey would invite him to stay dinner after the business meetings, but it was not often that he would allow himself to be persuaded. It was not that Mrs. Hattley cared much about John Davidson’s opinion; but there was something particularly galling in so very evident a resolution that their acquaintanceship should not develop into _inti- macy. If there was to be any such ban at all, she remarked to Victoria, it should certainly have been on their side, and Victoria had assented. When all was said, the man was young and good-looking and gentlemanly and talented. Mr. Hattley predicted all sorts of future greatness for him, and Mrs. Hattley, spirited and popular and young herself, did not quite like that he should look so coldly on her and her pretty sister. However, she was glad that Victoria seemed to have lost all interest in deciphering his forehead. Then a change had come. He had suddenly grown very markedly interested in all pertaining to Victoria, and Victoria, on her side, had appeared to return to the scrutiny of the forehead with vigour. In the middle of this Mr. Hattley had started for America. () COM VOO|kKS.CO