The Argosy — page 362: what you’re looking at

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

Lady Grace. 343 “ Are you doing penance, Gertrude?” suddenly exclaimed a rich, mellow voice from the door of the room; and Gertrude rose laugh- ingly to face Sir Everard Wilmot. ‘T am not convinced,” exclaimed Lady Grace. ‘* You are both of you misled by your affection for Cyras. I wonder what you would say, Sir Everard?” And she put the case before him ina few words. | Sir Everard listened, and laughed a little. ‘‘ That must have been Cyras I saw flying over the grass just now,” he remarked. ‘“ Well, as to the matter under discussion: of course, it would be a very great sacrifice for Charley to have to delay his marriage ; but—there are worse misfortunes at sea even than this.” He was so evidently amused that Lady Grace looked up. “ Undoubtedly Cyras must be helped. Four thousand pounds! Why, it’s nothing ; a mere bagatelle.” ‘To you it may be, Sir Everard,” retorted Lady Grace, compress- ing her lips; ‘‘ but not to others.” ‘‘'Then suppose I take it upon myself,” he laughed, in a tone which might be meant for jest or earnest. ‘‘ Charley can keep his two thou- sand pounds in his own pocket.” ‘Charley is in debt himself, I’m afraid,” severely remarked Lady Grace. ‘No, I am not, mother,” he answered, quickly. ‘‘It was all a mistake, and has been set right.” ‘‘ T said it must be so,” cried Gertrude. Lord Avon and Cyras entered together ; Cyras full of merriment. He had been enlightening the earl upon the whole past mystery, winding up his account with a humorous description of his interview with Miss Dynevor in Eaton Place. Lady Grace spoke a few words freely, which served to check the young man’s laughter. “ What?” he exclaimed. ‘‘ Charles is to hand over his savings to me and defer his marriage with Mary? No, that he shall not. Why, you can’t think I would let him do it! I used to put upon Charley as a boy, but I will never do so asaman. I loved him then and I love him still.” “Not even to help you to the partnership, and to Miss Anna Jansen ?” laughed Sir Everard. “Not even for that. Not if it would help me to every good in the world. How on earth could it have entered anyone’s head ?” ‘““Do you remember me, Cyras ?” Cyras did not answer in words: only smiled, as he looked at Sir Everard. Their hands met in a warm clasp. ‘Will you accept the money from me, Cyras ?” “From you /” “You helped me once, though not with money. Suffer me to help you now.” Don’t fret yourselves into fiddlestrings, young people,” spoke up cComicoookKks im