The Argosy — page 117: what you’re looking at

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

102 The Village Blacksmith. parents in baptising her in one faith, and bringing her up in the other did not strike her at the time. Her mother’s state was the only thing that appeared of the least consequence to her. Even the thought of Captain Raleigh was excluded by the fear lest her mother should be taken from her. From that time Vera scarcely left her mother’s side, and after the above conversation Mrs. Tempest grew rapidly worse. It had stirred her soul to its depths and increased the heart-mischief. The very next day she breathed her last,. gently, and without a struggle, in the presence of her husband, Vera and Father Ambrose, who adminis- tered the last sacraments of his Church. > When all was over it was Father Ambrose who led Vera from the room where, in the sacred presence of death, her passionate grief | seemed out of place. The contrast between the peaceful calmness of the sleeping mother, who looked scarcely older than her daughter as | she lay with her beautiful wavy brown hair all loose, and the sobbing girl, wild with grief as she was, was as great as the difference between peace and war. One had fought the battle of life, and, as Father Ambrose devoutly hoped, won the victory ; the other had just entered into the thick of the fight, and who could say what the issue of the battle would be? It was lucky for Vera that Father Ambrose was there, for Mr Ryot Tempest was too much absorbed in his own grief, and in ~ making the necessary arrangements for the funeral, to look after her. But it was clear to the kind old priest, well versed as he wasin human suffering, that she was in no fit state to be left. So he stayed with — her till the nuns he had sent for had performed the last sad offices # for the dead mother, and then he handed Vera over to them, that they might take charge of her till she was well enough to endure solitude ; and for the next day or two, until after the funeral, the — nuns took it in turns to watch by the dead mother and the sorrowing — daughter. It was arranged that Vera and her father should leave Avranches for ! home the day after the funeral, the doctor insisting that Vera should — ~ at once be taken away from the scene of her mother’s death. Father - Ambrose, who had proved himself an invaluable friend, and had | taken much trouble off Mr. Ryot Tempest’s hands, saw them off, ' and for a long time was haunted by Vera’s sad, beautiful face, — crowned with her golden hair, and the great dark eyes, lovelier than ever now grief had washed them, which were lifted up to his as she ~ bade him an affectionate good-bye, and begged him to write to her.’ Then the slight, graceful figure in its deep mourning sank back in the railway carriage, and in a few minutes was on its way home. <_— We GomiiGcivooks.com