The Argosy — page 326: what you’re looking at

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

Margaret’s Frenzy. 305 We exchanged souvenirs. I gave him a coin from my bangle, and he presented me with a holly-wood bear supporting a thermometer. The mercury in this was defective, pointing always to 65° what- ever the changes of temperature, but I prized it far above my other treasures. My uncle Robert was to be in Venice for this same féte, I had heard, and so I gave his address to Mr. Stacy, thinking they might like to meet. The latter seemed pleased, and said he would look up my relative without fail. How I wished Margaret and I might go too! But my slender purse would not permit so expensive a journey. Margaret could go; but she, out of kindly consideration for me, always cut her coat according to my meagre supply of cloth, instead of indulging in the ample garment her means allowed. After Herbert Stacy went, Haidenberg seemed unbearably dull, and at my request Margaret and I wandered to fresh pastures a little farther south. Here I received a letter which sent me soaring into the seventh heaven of delight. Uncle Robert sent me a generous cheque, and begged Margaret and me to join him at Venice for the féte. His wife’s niece, Miss Laurie, was with him, and we should doubtless enjoy each other’s society. I remembered Madge Laurie as an unconscionable flirt, about three years older than I. I didn’t like her at all then, but now I was willing to consort with anyone for the sake of a glimpse at Venice and all its gaieties at that season. And best of all, Herbert Stacy was to be there, and we should meet again! How lucky that I was going; otherwise there would be no one to prevent Madge Laurie from getting him into her toils. I felt myself a match for her now. Uncle Robert gave us minute directions about our route over the mountains by diligence, and by train from Belluno; we must be very exact In our arrangements, or we shouldall miss each other. He was obliged to be in Verona at a certain date, and could not tarry in Venice a day after the féte. We must notify him at once whether he might expect us or not, and if we could not arrive surely by the seventeenth we had better remain quietly where we were. A diligence left that very hour which would take our answer, and the next morning we could start, arriving at noon of the seventeenth if all went well. This most promising of journeys began very auspiciously on a cool delicious morning. We mounted to the coupé places in the diligence ; the driver, a saucy-eyed fellow with a bunch of rhododendron in his hat, bared his head, mumbled a prayer and crossed himself before he took the reins. We started off at a fine pace over a road like a marble floor. Even to us wayfarers who had grown quite familiar with the grand plunge and roar of an avalanche, the giddy fall of glacier torrents, the plumy pines, jauntily worn cloud-veils and other mountain-millinery, VOL. XLII. x COMmicooolkks () (SO