The Argosy — page 280: what you’re looking at

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

The Story of Charles Strange. 257 the gardener. But it happened that not halfan-hour after this conversation, she chanced to see Mrs. Snow. Leaning, in her listlessness, out of an open window that was just above the side entrance, to which she had been conducted by the boy on her way from the station, she was noticing how high the wall was that separated the garden of the house from the garden of the East Wing. Lofty trees, closely-planted, also flanked the wall, so that not the slightest glimpse could be had on either side of the other garden. ‘The East Wing, with its grounds, was as completely hidden from view as though it had no existence. While rather wondering at this,—for the East Wing was, after all, a part of the house, and not detached from it—Lady Level saw a woman emerge from a little sheltered doorway in the wall, lock it after her, and come up the path, key in hand. ‘This obscure doorway, and another at the foot of the East Wing garden opening to the road, were apparently the only means of entrance to it. ‘To the latter door, always kept locked, was attached a large bell, which awoke the surrounding echoes when- ever tradespeople or other applicants rang at it. “Ts that you, Hannah Snow ?” cried the cook, stepping forward to meet the other as she came up the path. . ‘‘ And how are you to- day? Do you want anything?” Catching the name, Lady Level looked out more closely. She saw a tall, strong, respectable woman of middle age, with a smiling, happy face and laughing hazel eyes. She wore a neat white cap, a clean cotton gown and grey-checked apron. ‘Yes, cook,” was the answer, given in a merry voice. ‘I want you to give me a handful of candied peel. I am preparing a batch of cakes for my old man, never supposing I[ had not all the ingredients at hand, and I find I have no peel. I’m sure I had some; and I tell John he must have stolen it.” “What a shane!” cried the cook, taking the words more literally than they were intended. Mrs. Snow laughed. ‘Fact is, I suppose I used the last of it in the bread-and-butter pudding I made last week,” said she. ‘You are always making cakes for that man o’ yours, seems to me, fiannah,” grumbled the cook. ‘‘ We can smell them over here when they’re baking, and that’s pretty often.” | “Seems I am: he’s always asking for them,” assented: Hannah. “* He likes to eat one now and then between meals, you see.” “Well, he’s a rare one for his inside,” retorted the cook, as she went in for the candied peel. ‘‘'They seem to do very much as they like here,” was the only thought that crossed Lady Level. On this same day Lord Level, who had grown so much better as to be out of danger, dismissed his doctor. Presenting him with a handsome cheque, he told him that he required no further attend- ance. Blanche received the news from Mrs. Edwards. Comicooolks (C(O) mn