The Argosy — page 241: what you’re looking at

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

224 Seventeen. ‘Why not?” I hesitated. ‘I had birthdays when I was a. child, you see,” I said, foolishly, ‘‘ and I always remember them.” ‘“ What have people been giving you for presents, Nell ?” I told him: “ Letty made a pincushion for me. Rose gave me that song I sang last night.” There was a pause. ‘ Girls wear lockets and trinkets and things sometimes,” said Will, irrelevantly. I laughed. ‘‘ Yes, sometimes,” I said. ‘‘T suppose, now,” said Will, ‘that you have plenty of things of that sort?” I looked up wonderingly. His questions were a little purposeless, unless ——-—-_ But that thought was absurd! Was it likely that Will should be thinking of buying a present for me? What could be more zzlikely! I was angry with myself for blushing. ‘*T have the ornaments mamma had when she was a girl,” I said. ‘¢ She gave them to me.” ‘‘ Are there necklaces amongst them?” said Will. ‘I like neck- laces, you know. But I daresay you have everything of that sort. Have you a pearl necklace, Nell ? ” The question made me laugh. ‘‘ No, nothing half so fine,” I said. Before Will had time to speak again, a clear, bell-like voice came from the other end of the garden: ‘‘ Will! Will!” ‘‘ Here,” shouted Will. ‘‘ All right, Rose.” Rose was coming towards us, her sweet little fair face almost hidden by the garden hat she wore. ‘I have been looking every- where for you,” she said, addressing Will, who went to meet her. ‘Papa is wanting your advice about that colt Jackson wants to sell. Young Jackson has brought the colt up; and papa is in the yard, Will, and he wants you to go at once. Oh, Nell, you here!” Will went slowly away, his hands in his pockets. Rose remained, seating herself on the grass and watching her cousin disappear. ‘What do you and Will find to talk about ?” she said pleasantly, when the garden door had closed. ‘We have been talking about my frocks,” I said lightly, with a little laugh. ‘“‘When you came, Will was asking how many pearl necklaces I possessed.” Rose’s clear blue eyes were regarding me a little anxiously. ‘‘ Will talks great nonsense sometimes,” she said. ‘‘You must not lay too much importance on what he says, Nell. He has been very kind to you lately—I have noticed it; but that is his way—he is kind to everyone ——” ‘Ves, of course,” I said promptly ; and then I hurriedly changed the subject. But Rose was very quiet. She sat watching me as [ sewed, giving only half her attention, I think, to my impersonal talk. “You are looking very happy now-a-days, Nell,” she said wistfully, after a while. CORNIELOOO (EO)