The Argosy — page 106: what you’re looking at

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

The Village Blacksmith. gi “Indeed! It does not concern your father, then, I suppose, that he is deprived of a curate and his daughter made the talk of the county through her heartless conduct?” said Mrs Ryot-Tempest with a slight sneer. ‘© T don’t know to what you allude. So far as I am aware there has been nothing heartless in my conduct; and I decline to discuss this matter with anyone but my father and one other person whom it also concerns,” said Vera, “Tf by that other person you mean me, I am here on purpose to discuss it,” replied her stepmother. “T do not; I allude to Captain Raleigh, whose wife I shall be in a few months’ time,” said Vera. Captain Raleigh! You poor, deluded child! He is the greatest flirt alive, unless he has settled down since his marriage, for I should think he is married by this time; I heard of his engagement some time ago,” said Mrs. Ryot-Tempest in a patronising tone. * Forewarned is forearmed. You need not attempt to asperse Captain Raleigh’s character to me ; nothing you could say to him of me, or to me of him, would affect either of us one iota,” said Vera angrily. Vera, my dear, you are forgetting yourself,” murmured the Rector. **T am accustomed to this treatment from Vera, Archdeacon ; but let that pass. The fact is, Vera, you have gone too far with Mr. Hastings to draw back now ; you have ridden with him alone almost daily for months.” ** By your special desire and arrangement,” interrupted Vera. ** His devotion and love have been so evident that you are looked upon as engaged by everyone; and if you can afford to be called a jilt, your father’s position will not suffer his daughter to be so spoken of. For his sake you are bound to accept Mr. Hastings, if for no other reason.” *‘ Father, will you allow Mrs. Tempest to speak to me in this way? I don’t deserve such treatment. Until yesterday I had no suspicion that Mr. Hastings even thought of me except as a friend. How could I imagine such a thing when he was always speaking of himself as a ‘priest,’ and I knew he considered priests ought not to marry,” said Vera, trembling with agitation as she turned to her father, but struggling to control her emotion. ** Don’t quibble in that way, Vera, pray,” interposed Mrs. Ryot- Tempest sharply. ‘‘ No woman is ever ignorant of the fact when a man is in love with her. Acknowledge your fault and do the best you can to make reparation by accepting Mr. Hastings: an excellent man, in every way suitable to you and acceptable to your father.” “Unfortunately there is one slight objection; as Mr. Hastings. knows, I am already virtually engaged to Captain Raleigh, and I shall never marry any one else,” said Vera, coolly but with decision. ECORNICIOOKSs.EO© am