The Argosy — page 296: what you’re looking at

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

The Village Blacksmith. 277 The joy and suffering of the last year had told upon Janet. She vas a trifle thinner and paler than she was wont to be, but her beauty iad gained by the change the very thing it had always lacked to make { perfect—expression. The shadow her husband’s absence cast over er life brought out the light of love into high relief: a light which nakes even a plain face lovely ; and the resolution she suddenly ormed to sacrifice her best possession, even her good name, for her usband’s sake, and out of obedience to him, gave a grandeur to her ace which startled Mrs. Canter. “T shall go and I shall take baby, but I shall tell no one I am narried till Rex gives me leave to do so,” she said, with a decision Norah had not thought her capable of. “Janet, you must be mad! Here you are supposed to be married, ind everyone believes you are Mrs. Foreman, whose husband is in America; but at Woodford the truth must be known.” “When Rex gives me leave it will be known; not until then. It may be only a few days that I shall have to wait; till then no one yut father need know about baby ; and, if he is in bed, even he need 1ot know it. Baby rarely cries, and father sleeps downstairs. As for he neighbours, our cottage is so lonely I could keep the child there or weeks without their knowing anything ; and, if necessary, I must jo it. I must obey father and go home, but I can’t disobey my \usband.” | Mrs. Canter knew it was useless to argue, but she scorched a shirt in her surprise and vexation. | “When are you going?” was all she said. “This afternoon,so that I don’t arrive until after dark,” said Janet; ind that afternoon she went. ' Reuben, who had expected her to arrive by an earlier train, was \isappointed and depressed at finding she had not come as soon as jhe received his letter ; and, having given up all hope of seeing her hat day, was as pleased as he was surprised when, at about nine \clock, he heard her step in the front room of his cottage. j “is that you, Janet?” he called from the inner room, where he iy in bed reading his Bible by the light of a lamp. | The front room was in darkness, and Janet having laid the sleep- ig.infant safely in her father’s arm-chair, went in to see him. } “Yes, father dear, here I am at last. How are you?” said Janet )ixiously, as she bent over the bed and kissed her father. | “Tam ill, Janet. It may be only a bad cold, but maybe I am in br a long illness ; anyhow, I am very glad you are back to look after ye. It has been very dull all this winter without you, my lass, and pu don’t look much the better for the change; but perhaps it is jly the lamp-light makes you look pale and careworn.” ) “Tam tired, father ; I will just go upstairs and take off my hat and )en get some supper,” saidl Janet, who was in mortal terror lest the by should wake and cry, and thus betray its presence. CORNICLOO© S (C@)