The Argosy — page 215: what you’re looking at

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

198 The Village Blacksmith. ‘“‘ He did, or he would not have come. It wasn’t love of me, you ~ may be sure, brought him over to Marling, but I think he has gone ~ back as wise as he came. But if it hadn’t been for Miss Vera, Janet, he would have come in and caught you here, as sure as my name is Canter. My word, you’ve had a narrow escape to-day; I felt so nervous I could scarcely touch a mouthful of dinner.” “ Nor could I; I was thinking so of Mark.” ‘And he was thinking of you. He is desperately fond of you, — Janet ; he won’t get over it in a hurry, either. Love is like small- ~ pox: if you have it badly, it marks you for life.” “ Did he say anything about father?” ‘Only that he was very well, and missed you very much. I think ~ I must go over for a few days and see your father, or we shall have him over here next,” said Mrs. Canter. . Janet burst into tears, and, leaning her beautiful head on the — table, sobbed out: “‘T feel like some hunted animal. I live in daily dread of being | seen, even by my own dear father. How I wish Rex would let me , tell him !” | ‘Cousin Janet, have you been naughty to-day, as well as all of — us ?” asked little Jack, nestling up to his cousin. ‘No, Janet isn’t naughty, Jack. What made you think she was?” asked his mother. t ‘’Cause she is crying, and ’cause she had her dinner upstairs with Mary Jane.” Here the return of Mary Jane, jubilant with the success of her walk, interrupted the conversation, for she possessed more than her | share of that vice generally but erroneously supposed to be peculiar ® to her sex—curiosity, which Mark Brown’s visit had greatly excited; and she brought with her, in addition to the seventh scone, a piece of news that disturbed the sense of relief which her mother and - cousin were congratulating themselves upon feeling. i ‘Mother, Mark Brown isn’t gone home yet; I saw him in the ‘ village just now.” i) ‘Don’t talk nonsense, Mary Jane, when your own mother saw — him safein the train. You have made a mistake,” said Mrs. Canter. “No, I haven’t. There is no one like him in Marling,” per- sisted Mary Jane. { “You didn’t dare to speak one word to him, I hope?” said Norah, in an awful voice. ; “No,” said the child ; and Norah, though half-doubting her first . tT statement, knew the last was correct ; for Mary Jane was truthful. 7 She was also right in her report ; for Mark Brown didn’t leave — Marling by the four o’clock train that day after all. : (To be continued.) Gomicdsdooks.com