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

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

242 STRAIGHT FROM THE PLAIN. A BRIGHT June day: and a pretty girl seated by the window of a small room in a snug old country Rectory, sewing busily. Her cheeks wore a pink flush, and her hot fingers trembled a little as she plied the needle, for she had just heard news to set her pulses beating. Outside, the white-haired old Rector was tying up his sweet peas, which grew just under the window; lifting his head every now and then to talk to his daughter over the sill of the low frame, its sash thrown up to the summer air. ‘What did you say, child P—Am I sure? Why of course I’m sure. That is, I’m sure they told me. Mrs. Parker received the letter this morning.” ‘But, papa, he was not expected before August.” “Got tired of his rovings, maybe. Anyway, the two gardeners said their master was expected back to-morrow evening, and a cargo of valuable luggage had already arrived and was being unpacked. I saw the two men as I passed the Court gates just now, and they gave me the news. Ina fine heat and bustle both of them were : afraid, I suppose, that they will not have the gardens straight in time.” “ He has not been gone a year yet, papa: and he said he might stay away two years, if you remember.” ‘And I said that when he did come he would probably bring a wife with him; I remember that.” ‘ Perhaps he will,” said the girl. ‘Perhaps he won’t—if he’s coming now,” contended the Rector. ‘‘Tfad he married, we should have heard of it: and he wouldn’t be likely to bring home a wife without ordering the Court to make ready for her. You speak without thinking, Anna. By the way, child, I forgot to tell you that I met Doctor Reeves at the post office, and he asked me to dine with him this evening.” ‘TI feel glad of that, papa.” She felt very glad, for she knew that her father would get a good dinner. ‘The Rector’s stipend was a small one, nothing like two hundred a-year, and they must be economical in all ways, as part of the money had to go to the son, Lieutenant Castleton, who was making his way as he best could in his regiment. Whereas Doctor Reeves was an amiable old pluralist, with more thousands a-year than the Rector counted hundreds, and his dinner-table was always superb. Mr. Castleton went off to another part of his garden. He did most of the work in it himself, not being able to afford a gardener, except for an odd day at rare intervals, Anna let her work fall on her lap— she was making herself a new muslin body—and sat looking outwards, CORNICE OOOKS. COL