The Argosy — page 229: what you’re looking at

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

212 A Free-Will Offering. somehow manage to bear it alone or to share it with the Major.. For Mrs. Wilson, indeed, the strong man felt a certain amount of pity since he had learned that she suffered from heart-disease in its most advanced form, and he enjoyed the little secret conspiracies with Sara to preserve her aunt from all unnecessary annoyance. But for Roger he felt no such compassion, and he watched him with a jealous interest which could not but strike him sometimes as almost ludicrous when he stood in his great height and strength beside the mis- proportioned, feeble young man. So the days passed on, very swiftly now, and Major Brown never paused to ask himself whither he was drifting—where he had already drifted. Sometimes, indeed, the sight of Nettie’s even, Italian handwriting smote upon him with a sharp pain, as of a sudden discord. And sometimes the same feeling seized him as he strolled up and down of an evening with Mrs, Wilson and his eye would suddenly fall on the couple in front; the girl’s tall, upright figure, and Roger not in- frequently leaning wearily on her arm. On one of these occasions Mrs, Wilson had favoured him with a little burst of family confidence. ‘Is not Sara beautiful?” she had said, waving her fan in the direction of the shadowy white figure. ‘Tt is quite a wonder to me that with all her fortune and looks she is so little spoiled ! And she suits my Roger so admirably! No one, not even I myself, can manage him as she does. And he is perfectly devoted to her. They have been engaged since they were quite children ; and, indeed, I do not know what Roger would do without her. For he is far too delicate for any profession, and I have not enough to make him independent. Really it is quite wonderful the way that good comes out of evil! For we were all so angry with my sister when she insisted on marrying Isaac Levison! Not that it was anything really so very bad after all—for of course he was in a very respectable business—a business man e They had drawn nearer to the others, and the slim, white figure suddenly turned on them. ‘The Major fancied that in the uncertain light he caught a faint flush creeping up over the still face. ‘My father was not in dxustness, Major Brown,” she said quickly ; “he was in ¢vade. A tradesman, you understand, and in trade he made our money.” Then she turned again abruptly and walked on with her cousin. | Major Brown felt a thrill of unreasonable pride pass over him. He burned to catch her hands—to kiss them reverently—to tell her that he worshipped and adored her, and that nothing she or her father had been or had done could ever alter that fact. He walked on in a kind of delirium, quite unconscious of poor Mrs. Wilson’s explanations and apologies for the “terribly uncomfortable way Sara sometimes has of putting things.” Gomicbooks.Gcom