The Argosy — page 195: what you’re looking at

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

178 Lady Grace. “Feminine matters in which you can scarcely be interested,” laughed Gertrude. ‘I’ve been matching silks in the village for my screen work, and it took me a long time, for I wanted many shades. ‘Then I went on to see old Mrs. Whittaker, who grows more deaf and crotchety day by day.” Lord Avon opened the gate for Gertrude, and she passed through. She now stood by his side, whilst he, leaning over it as before, appeared to be gazing at the far distance. ‘Are you watching for someone else, Uncle Henry ?” ‘ No,” replied Lord Avon ; ‘I was only thinking, Gertrude. I am going down to the Rectory presently ; your mother wants me to ask them to come in to dinner.” “Oh, pray do,” said Gertrude. ‘It will make it less dull for them, and for us—-—. I wish you would tell me something,” she con- tinued, after a pause. ‘Well? What do you want to know ?” he enquired, certain in his own mind as to the nature of her request. “The letter you were reading at the breakfast-table—I chanced to see the writing, you remember, and said it was from Charles; upon which you put it hastily into your pocket, telling me that I saw too much and too quickly. It was from Charles, was it not?” ‘Yes, You were quite right.” ‘Then why did you rush it away in that fashion, and pretend that I was mistaken, Uncle Henry ?” ‘Because I wished not to draw your mother’s attention to it. I did not altogether understand the letter, and wanted to go over it again alone. Charley has been getting into a mess.” ‘‘ What sort of a mess?” asked Gertrude. ‘‘ All sorts of messes,” replied his lordship. ‘‘ He was seen at the play one night in strange company. Again, the old Bishop of Den- ham, calling at his chambers, found some very unorthodox pen-and- ink sketches on his blotting-pad. Charley forthwith went down in his lordship’s estimation, and lost some work the Bishop had just offered him. I should like to have seen the good man’s face,” broke off Lord Avon, laughing. ‘“ But is that all?” asked Gertrude. “It does not seem a very terrible affair, if there is nothing more behind it.” ‘Tt certainly sounds rather like a case of Much ado about nothing,” assented the Earl. “But it is not quite all. Charles has been going in largely for jewellery, and can’t, or won’t, pay for it.” ‘Tt is very unlike Charles to do that,” said Gertrude. “The singular point in it is that Charles altogether denies it,” continued Lord Avon. ‘‘ He protests to me that he has not done anything of the kind; and thinks that someone must have been personating him, either in jest or else as an out-and-out fraud.” “Ts the bill for jewellery a heavy one ?” | ‘“ Nearly a hundred pounds.” COMIC OOKS. <@ onl a _ —_