The Argosy — page 48: what you’re looking at

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

The Results of a Hunt Week. 35 Agatha folded and unfolded her fan in abstraction. ‘‘T certainly should cease to be Mrs. Prideaux-Power’s guest when Y leave her carriage,” she said. ‘‘ The fear of implicating her is my only real objection, for I would gladly be with dear Amy other- wise.” ‘It is her greatest wish,” said Rick eagerly, looking to Godfrey, watching jealously afar, as if he were vehemently urging a successful love-suit. ‘‘The wish of us both. You will promise not to fail us, then? We shall want someone to toast us figuratively if not actually over the daring deed!” “About the toasting, I don’t know,” said Agatha, laughingly. ‘** And you know I am a poor friend to elopements generally—but I will come if you undertake the note reaches me on the road.” “Trust me,” said Rick, ‘and we will thank you with all the honours in our own house, I hope, ere Time gets a much more hardened sinner.” Agatha’s was one of those rare souls that in ball-rooms as else- where seek always some “poor” to aid, some “sick” at heart to “medicine,” some happy one to crown with completeness of sympathy. It was well she held these resources to fall back upon, for on her own account she did not enjoy that ball, and her dances with Godfrey least of all. Their last valse together took place just after the confidential téte-a-téte above related. Stern disappointment was in Godfrey’s face as he claimed the dance, not unmingled with reproach at Agatha’s supposed coquetry, and not unnaturally it awoke in hers the hauteur of one unjustly accused. Then and there, with a man’s obtuseness, he abandoned hope for the seven- teenth time that week. ‘*T will not expose myself to rejection from Pontifex’s betrothed bride,” was the refrain to which he whirled round whatever the liquid valse measure called itself throbbed out by the band; while Agatha accompanied him to a similarly blythe burden of : “If he prefers circumstantial evidence when he might have truth for the asking, he must take the consequences.” His unjust anger roused her spirit, of which she had no small share, and provoked her into praises of the ball, less ingenuous than her usual speeches. Not being engaged to Godfrey for any further dance left her free to remark, with a glance at her filled-up card : ‘““T am glad to think there are some dances remaining. It has been such an unusually pleasant ball, one would like to have it prolonged.” ‘For my own part,” said Godfrey, ‘‘I shall be at some pains to avoid Ballaster Hunt Weeks in future. They don’t seem to minister much to my enjoyment ; and I find more pleasure elsewhere.” And if the first part of the speech was candid, the last rivalled that of his partner’s for joyless insincerity. conniclooolxs (SO)