The Argosy — page 266: what you’re looking at

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

Straight from the Plain. — 245 ing, so we can have the omelette to-morrow. The cold meat, with salad, will do to-day.” ‘Very well, Miss Anna,” replied Molly, cheerfully, as she whisked away. Towards evening, when the air grew cooler, and the sun was near- ing its setting, and Mr. Castleton was away, eating his dinner, Anna put on her straw hat, and went forth for a stroll. Involuntarily, as it seemed, her feet took her towards the Court. ‘‘T don’t see why I should not go and take a peep at the things,” she told herself by way of excuse, forgetting that qui s’excuse, s’accuse. ‘It is my only opportunity. After to-morrow, when “e will be there, I could not go, unless invited.” It was only about half a mile, for the Court was very near the Rectory ; and the way lay through green paths overshaded by trees, in the branches of which the birds were singing their vesper hymns of praise. A strange sadness sat in Anna’s heart: only a few hours, and she should see 4zm also ! ‘¢ Now I will go to the door in the north terrace,” she said, de- cisively, as she approached the Court—a handsome white structure, low and wide. ‘‘ That north door is sure to be unlocked, for it’s the way they must have taken the cases in: and then I need not see Mrs. Parker till I’m leaving. I don’t want her with me in the music- room; she’d never cease gossiping, good old soul; I would rather look at the treasures alone. I hope she won’t espy me going round!” It fell out as she wished. ‘The Court seemed to be in more of a bustle than ordinary—with the preparations for its master on the morrow, she supposed—and Anna passed round to the side terrace, unnoticed, and entered by the north door. It led through a passage or two straight to the music-room, which had been a bare room of late, its fine organ and piano and harp having been removed to the maker’s in London for safety. The room was anything but bare now. All kinds of articles were crowded into it, some large, some small. Pictures leaning against the walls, groups of beautiful statuary, vases, ornaments, fragile china cups, delicate filagree baskets in silver and silver gilt. Anna drew a long breath as she gazed around, bewildered, confused, excited ; all was so very rare and beautiful. She took off her hat and let it fall on the floor, and pushed back her sunny hair, and looked out with strange gladness in her sweet blue eyes. And all without the slightest suspicion that Roger Brooke was looking on from the end of the room, partly hidden by the white draperies which hung over the lid of a packing case; looking at herself, the prettiest treasure there, standing in her pink summer muslin. ‘¢ But which can be Lot’s wife, I wonder?” As she spoke, she was bending over the huge, improvised table, on cConmicooolks (C(O) mm