The Argosy — page 283: what you’re looking at

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

264 The Missing Rubies. in love’s vows. Anyway, the hands are parted ; what matters how it is done? A letter had come from Mr. Redburn, addressed, not to Beatrice herself, but to Mrs. Milton. It was a furious, unreasonable letter, written in a shaky hand, de- claring that Harriet had exceeded her prerogative in taking full charge of the girl, and sanctioning her engagement to a scoundrel! If the writer had not been quite knocked up by this miserable affair, and by the shock of Beatrice’s sudden flight, he would have come straight to Wimpole Street, and insisted on seeing his old friend’s daughter and bringing her to reason. Mrs. Milton wrote back with quiet dignity. She enclosed a copy of a letter written by Beatrice’s grandfather, a week or two before his death. In that letter old Mr. Ward entreated her to be a mother to the girl he was about to leave alone in the world; and thanked her for all the love with which she had watched over his grand-daughter from childhood. With respect to Godwin Earle, Mrs. Milton simply expressed her perfect confidence in his innocence, and her hope that the mischief done by Mr. Redburn might be speedily undone. Beatrice, she added, was far too unwell to see visitors ; therefore if Mr. Redburn came up to town it would be impossible for him to have an interview with the poor, suffering child. The old coffee-planter wrote a second time, and was so immoderate in his abuse that Mr. Milton replied, saying that the correspondence must cease. But old Redburn’s abusive letter did some good. Richard Milton carried it to Godwin Earle, and asked him whether anything said by such an unreasonable man were worthy of notice. And Godwin admitted that the bad opinion of such a person was not likely to hurt anyone very much. “But,” he added sadly, ‘‘on one point he is right, after all. He says that if I could not prove my innocence, I ought at any rate to have made good the Countess Gradizoff’s loss, before proposing to Beatrice.” ‘He is an old ass,” replied Richard Milton, angrily; ‘“‘and I will never admit he is right about anything.” Two days went by. And on the evening of the third day, Vorden- berg began to wonder when he might seek that longed-for interview with Beatrice. ; Harriet did not speak very favourably of the girl’s health. Her vitality seemed to be ebbing ; she was too meek—too patient. ‘The natural Beatrice had been impetuous, and often a little self-willed ; but this quiet invalid appeared to have no will left. ‘They had not admitted any visitor, nor had she asked to see anyone. It was obvious that she was too much shattered still to bear the least ex- citement. There was the sense of kindness waiting for her by-and- by ; of friends biding their time to give her comfort; but she did not call them yet. COMIC OOOKS.CO@