The Argosy — page 253: what you’re looking at

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

234 Lady Postlethwaite’s Will. better. As soon as he was well, he asked me to marry him. He wasn’t the sort of sweetheart I’d fancied to have—poor little old gentleman—but I’d saved his life, and couldn’t bear the thoughts of deserting him now, so I said ‘ Yes,’ and never repented it. He was a good husband to me while he lived, and, when he died, left me every penny he possessed, just to do as I chose with.” ‘It’s a great responsibility,” I said, inwardly wondering how soon we might set to business. She shook her head solemnly. ‘It’s not the mere giving away of the money ; it’s the seeing that it does no mischief that troubles me. You see I’ve no kin of my own to whom I might rightfully leave it all, nor are there any alive of Josiah’s. Then I thought of his first wife, poor soul, a born lady, who helped him and loved him while he was young and poor, and died just as the good times were coming. I’ve tried to find Mrs. Postlethwaite’s people out, and do what I can for them. And there’s charities enough to swallow the whole amount, but your father made me promise to take nothing on trust, but to find out for myself how they would be likely to spend it if I gave it them; and that has been a long job, and a heart-breaking one. I’m nearly settled now, but there are still changes to be made.” She turned over the leaves of the will, making comments on each bequest, while I made a few ineffective notes, and strove to possess my soul in patience. JI was rewarded. She ended by producing a most business-like little list of the additions she desired. ‘They were few and trifling till we came to the last, over which she paused and hesitated. “Colonel the Reverend Vandenhoff St. George, 450,000.” I opened my eyes, as well I might. ‘Did you never hear of him? I thought everyone must know the great work he’s doing in the West End. ‘The converted dragoon the paper here calls him. He has his ‘Tuesday and Friday meetings here, too. An afternoon tea for ladies on Tuesdays, and a smoking concert for gentlemen on Fridays. He’s a grand speaker. You must come and hear him. I want to give him a chapel of his own, as the clergy won’t have him in the church. Now, when will you come and meet him ?” I was prepared with an evasion, but just then the door opened, and a fur-clad young lady entered briskly, carrying a violin-case. She stopped when she saw me, and, with a pretty gesture of apology, withdrew. “Vou can come in, Letty. We've done all our business. How did the rehearsal go off? You're just in time to show Mr. Austen the azaleas before lunch. You'll not mind being left to Letty for half an hour, Mr. Philip? There are some things I think I can do better myself than anyone else, and a vol-au-vent is one of them.” I made another effort to escape—a feeble one this time—and, having collected my papers, found myself following..‘* Letty ~ or (E©)