The Argosy — page 190: what you’re looking at

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

Fack’s Ntece. 75 shyness soon melted, and she found herself chattering away to him as happily as if the miserable mistake which had caused her such unhappiness had never occurred. As he bade her good-night, later on, he said: “JT am going to stay for some time in this neighbourhood. Will you introduce me to Mrs. Dene; I want to ask her permission to call.” : | “Pray do come,” Mrs. Dene answered to his request. The hand- some, pleasant-mannered young man impressed her favourably at once. Jack Kerr spent a fortnight in the neighbourhood of Feltham, and f scarcely a day passed that he did not appear there on some excuse ! or other. Frank Dene and he found many tastes in common, and several mutual acquaintances, and he was always welcome. } Daisy grew, unconsciously, to look eagerly for his coming, and to i feel the day dull indeed when he did not appear. “This is my last day,” he said, as they walked together in the garden. Daisy was out gathering snowdrops when he arrived, and i he had asked Mrs. Dene if he might go and find her. ‘Do you f know why I came, Daisy ?”—Then seeing her downcast blushing face he continued: ‘‘ At first I felt very sorry to find out our mistake, but I soon became glad to think you were really not my niece. Do you know why, Daisy ?” She shook her head. ‘“ Please don’t talk of that dreadful mis- take —— ” “I was glad, dear, because I felt I wanted you to be something nearer and dearer than a niece. Do you think, Daisy, you can care for me enough to be my little wife ?” Another half-hour in the garden ; then Jack said: . | ‘Good-bye, Daisy, I must go back to Overbridge. Shall I give \ your love to Mrs. Allarton ?” ‘Yes, please.” “And I can tell her ’m going to marry “ Jack’s niece!” COnmicboookS. conn |