The Argosy — page 263: what you’re looking at

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

246 The Missing Rubtes. the line. The station’s over yonder, behind that clump of trees. When we turn the next corner we shall get there in a minute or two. But you're in a mighty hurry, ain’t your” ‘‘ Ves,” said Beatrice. And then, thinking that she had given too curt an answer, she added— ‘‘T have had news that makes me take a hasty journey.” ‘Bad news?” the girl inquired. ‘Very bad news.” There was a silence, broken only by the jog-trot of the sturdy horse. A rush of honeysuckle perfume, sweet and overpowering, swept across their faces as they reached the corner. It came from a cottage, laden with creepers from basement to roof, and standing close to the roadside. ‘““'That’s where my sweetheart lives,” said the rosy-cheeked maiden, glancing towards the door. An old woman, with a white frilled cap tied under her chin, appeared in the porch and nodded smilingly. ‘‘ And that’s his granny,” she added, returning the nod and smile. ‘Some day I’m going to be married, and we three shall live there together, as happy as birds in a nest.” Beatrice could not help sighing. She, too, could have been as happy as a bird in some humble cottage with Godwin. She had never pined for pomp and luxury. Her good health and simple habits made her indifferent to many of those things which Alma Lindrick prized. She would have faced even poverty bravely if she could have had her love near her heart. But it was wealth, accursed wealth, that had come between Godwin and herself, and separated them, perhaps, for ever. This ignorant country lass, with her open mind and free tongue, was more to be envied, she thought, than the woman who sat by her side. She rallied herself, and spoke a few kind words to her companion as they approached the railway station. But when she asked what there was to pay, the girl cut her short with a laugh and a shake o head. “Nothing more,” she said. ‘‘ You’ve wished me good luck, and that’s payment enough for me.” The up-train was signalled. She had just time to take her ticket before it came thundering into the station. The door of a first-class carriage opened and shut: and a few moments later she was on her way home. As the train rushed on, she caught a glimpse of the high road which she had traversed that morning. A dog-cart was fast approaching the corner where the honeysuckle cottage stood ; and she was sure that the grey-haired man, seated beside the driver, was Colonel Lindrick. If it had not been for the rustic lass and her fast-trotting cob, Beatrice must have been overtaken. In spite of a keen heart-ache, she smiled to think of Mr. Redburn’s impotent rage. . She had defied and escaped him. CONnNIEOOOKS (E©)