The Argosy — page 258: what you’re looking at

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

The Missing Rubies. ? 241 Then Beatrice did what any girl in such circumstances would have done. She got up and touched Alma’s cheek with her lips. Miss Lindrick was not, as we know, a woman of much heart. But the soft touch seemed to linger oddly on her cheek, after Beatrice had gone away to her own room. She had not been over-kindly disposed to this fresh young girl who had consoled Godwin for the loss of his first love, and had been presented to everybody as Mr. Redburn’s heiress. But it was plain that Beatrice did not glory in her triumphs. She simply wanted to love and be loved in peace. “ T do wish her well—I have not told any falsehoods,” said Alma to herself. ‘‘She is so perfectly straightforward and natural that I believe I have a sort of liking for her. Poor silly child! Why is it that such a girl should worship such a man as Godwin Earle? I suppose they will marry somehow, either with or without money, and he will go calmly through life with her, accepting her devotion. And yet—lit is quite possible that he will love her very dearly ; better even than he ever loved me.” Then the Colonel re-entered the drawing-room, and his daughter began to speculate afresh about old Redburn’s mysterious journey. ‘He has no friends in town,” said Colonel Lindrick. ‘* This must be simply a mad freak. He has lived in a passion for days. I never saw such a violent man in my life. If he is not closely looked after he will go out of the world in one of these rages.” “The world is not much the better for his being in it,” said Alma, who disliked all excitable people. ‘‘If he stays here long he will wear us all out.” “Oh, he won’t live long enough for that,” her father replied. Mr. Redburn had given orders that no carriage was to be sent to the station. It was nine o’clock when Beatrice had gone upstairs, leaving Alma sitting in the drawing-room, and waiting anxiously for the expected traveller. They had not long to wait. At half-past ten the sound of wheels was heard in the avenue, and Colonel Lindrick himself went to the _ hall-door to welcome his guest. It was a clear, soft night. The light from the entry streamed out through the open door, and shone on the muffled-up figure that slowly descended from the fly, with Blake’s assistance. The Colonel met him with a cheery word of greeting, and led him at once to the drawing-room fire. ‘““T have stood the journey uncommonly well, Lindrick,” said the old man, looking proudly round. ‘‘ Where’s Beatrice? Gone to her room? So much the better. I don’t think she will try to set her will against mine again !” “T’m sorry you found her so hard to manage,” remarked the Colonel, in his quietest tone. “And I am sorry, too,” Alma added. ‘“ But really, Mr. Redburn, I am afraid she will never be persuaded to give him up.” VOL. XLIV. ECORINELHO© SS (SO) an