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

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

260 The Story of Charles Strange. There was nothing more to ask; nothing more that she could ask. But Lady Level had heard enough to disturb her equanimity, and she turned without going on to Upper Marshdale. ‘That the lady with the gold earrings was either in the house, or in its East Wing, and that that was why she was wanted out of it, seemed clearer to her than the sun at noonday. That same evening, Lady Level’s servants were at supper in the large kitchen: where, as no establishment was kept up in the house, they condescended to take their meals. Deborah was partly waiting on them, partly gossiping, and partly dressing veal cutlets and bacon in the Dutch oven for what she called the upstairs supper. ‘The cook had gone to bed early with a violent toothache. “You have enough there, I hope,” cried Timms, as Deborah brought the Dutch oven to the table to turn the cutlets. ‘Old Mr. Drewitt has such an appetite; leastways at his supper,” answered Deborah. “T wonder they don’t take their meals below; it’s a long way to carry them, up all them stairs,” remarked Mr. Sanders, when Deborah was placing her dish of cutlets on the tray prepared for it. ‘Oh, I don’t mind it ; I’m used to it now,” said the good-humoured girl, as she went off with a quick step. Deborah returned with a quieter step than she had departed. ‘““They are quarrelling like anything,” she exclaimed in a low, frightened voice. ‘‘She’s gone into my lord’s room, and they are having it out over something or other.” Timms, who was then engaged in eating some favourite custard pudding, looked up. ‘‘What? Who? Do you mean my lord and my lady? How do you know, Deborah ?” | ‘TY heard them wrangling as I went by. I have to pass their rooms, you know, to get to Mr. Drewitt’s rooms, and I heard them still louder as I came back. ‘They are quarrelling just ike common people. Has she a temper?” “No,” said Timms. ‘“ He has though ; that is, he can be fright- fully passionate at times.” “He is not thought so in this house,” returned Deborah. ‘“ To hear my master and mistress talk, my lord is just an angel upon earth.” | “ Ah!” said Timms, sniffing significantly. . Her supper ended, but not her curiosity, Timms stole a part of the way upstairs, and listened. But she only came in for the end of the dispute, as she related to Mr. Sanders on her return. Lady Level, after some final speech of bitter reproach, passed into her room and shut the door with a force that shook the walls, and probably shook Lord Level, who relieved his wrath by a little deli- cate language. So much Timms heard; but of what the quarrel had been about, she did not gather the faintest glimmer. CONMIECLIOO KS. (COR