The Argosy — page 134: what you’re looking at

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

Featherston’s Story. 119g “Oh, ¢dey are on the pier, are they!” mentally spoke Lavinia. For it was Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Fennel. Nancy sat down beside her. ‘It is a long walk!” cried she, drawing a quick breath or two, ‘‘ Lavinia, what do you think we have just heard ?” “How can I tell?” returned the elder sister. “You know those queer people, an old English aunt and three nieces, who took Madame Gibon’s rooms in the Rue Meénar? They have all disappeared and have paid nobody,” continued Nancy. “ Charley Palliser told us just now; he was laughing like anything over it.” “T never thought they looked like people to be trusted,” remarked Lavinia. ‘Dear me! here’s the sun coming out again.” ‘‘Where is your parasol ?” Lavinia recounted her negligence in having left it at the shoe mart. Captain Fennel had brought out a small silk umbrella; he turned from the end of the pier, where he stood looking out to sea, opened the umbrella and offered it. ‘Tt is not much larger than a good-sized parasol,” remarked he. ‘Pray take it, Miss Lavinia.” Lavinia did so after a moment’s imperceptible hesitation, and thanked him. She hated to be under the slightest obligation to him, but the sun was now full in her eyes and might make her head ache. The pleasant smell of a cigar caused them to look up. A youngish man, rather remarkably tall, with a shepherd’s plaid across his broad shoulders, was striding up the pier. He sat down near Miss Preen, and she glanced round at him. Appearing to think that she looked at his cigar, he immediately threw it into the sea behind him. | “Oh, I am sorry you did that,” said Lavinia, speaking im- pulsively. “I like the smell of a cigar.” **Oh, thank you; thank you very much,” he answered. “I had nearly smoked it out.” Voice and manner were alike pleasant and easy, and Lavinia spoke again—some trivial remark about the fine expanse of sea; upon which they drifted into conversation. We are reserved enough with strangers at home, we Islanders, as the world knows, but most of us are less ungracious abroad. “Sainteville seems a clean, healthy place,” remarked the new- comer. “Very,” said Miss Lavinia. ‘ Do you know it well 2?” ‘“T never saw it before to-day,” he replied. ‘‘I have come here from Douai to meet a friend, having two or three days to spare.” “Douai is a fine town,” remarked Captain Fennel, turning to speak, for he was still looking out over the sea and had his opera- glasses inhis hand. ‘‘I spent a week there not long ago.” COMIC OOO SS (SO) im