The Argosy — page 34: what you’re looking at

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

The Village Blacksmith. 21 he had discovered the grey mare was the better horse, and though he had drawn the line at coloured stoles, he had had to submit in domestic matters to all his new wife’s caprices. In church matters Mr. Hastings relieved him of much difficulty, for the curate dressed his long body in short surplices and coloured stoles, and faced the east, and bowed and scraped and twisted and turned his same long body about as the rectoress desired, and was in reality so devout that his Rector respected the man, though he constantly told him his place was not in the Church of England. But though Mr. Hastings smoothed that part of Mr. Ryot-Tem- pest’s path of life which lay through the Church, there were many stones on the path which ran through his home-life, and these the Rector had to stumble over alone as best he could; and if he went slowly and sadly at times, he had but himself to blame for choosing the path. Somehow the Peerage and Lempriere were less studied now than formerly, and the third Book which lay on his study table was read oftener than it used to be. Is it possible th¥t that Book was a better guide through his stony path than Debrett or Lempriére? Simultaneously with the news that the Rector was made Arch- deacon, a report of burglars in the neighbourhood reached Woodford, to the consternation of most of the inhabitants; particularly of the Archdeacon-elect. “My dear Poppy, I really think it would be as well to send your diamonds to the bank ; we are not going out much just now. I think it would be safer,” remarked Mr. Ryot-Tempest one day at luncheon, just before Easter. ‘“ Nonsense ; I shall do nothing of the kind. Burglars never come unless they are in league with the servants, and our servants are honest. Besides, I have accepted several invitations for next week : Lent is just over, thank goodness,” replied Mrs. Ryot-Tempest. Her husband sighed: perhaps he thought his life would be all Lent henceforth. There was certainly no need for him to eat Lenten fare, or wear a hair shirt. His flesh could be subdued by other means ; and was, as he found to his cost. ‘* By the way, Ryot, will you remind your tailor to send your new dress-clothes for next Tuesday ; we are going to a large party at Lord William’s,” ‘* Certainly, my dear, certainly. And since you wish your diamonds to remain here, I think I had better buy a revolver. We have no firearms'in the house, and the account of these burglars behoves us to take precautions.” “You can do as you like about that. A more useless weapon for you I don’t know. Who is to fire it, may I ask?” “I will,” said Vera. ‘Do get one, papa. Burglars are such cowards ; a little powder would frighten them.” ‘* We'll drive in to Chiefton this afternoon, then. And, Vera, will you be kind enough to go and visit a sick woman for me with Mr. EOMGIOOKS mm