The Argosy — page 54: 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. AI “T!” she answered. “NotI! I hate to see girls oppressed and countenance many elopements, but not this—your only child. And the affair had not gone on so very long. I could not believe my ears when Charley Byce told me, or rest till I came to you.” ‘But Miss Ffoulkes was there,” objected Mr. Seaton. ‘* And had left my house,” explained Mrs. Prideaux-Power, meekly submitting to a cross-questioning she would have resented in calmer moments. ‘I am very angry with her all the same, but never mind about her now. I have always behaved so badly to you, Mr. Seaton —lI think I am the most odious woman under the sun when I get on my high horse—and there was that foolery last night on the very eve of this, and you were so wonderfully good about it. Just say you forgiye me and will let me be friends with you in future, and I shall go home with a lighter heart.” Mr. Seaton turned his back on her hastily, and made no answer, but was it a rebuff? He staggered to the mantelpiece and laid his head against the marble slab; the hands that concealed his face shook. There was silence in the room, broken only by a lady’s sob. The Poindexters were always an excitable race. Mr. Seaton moved at last, and coming to Mrs. Prideaux-Power took both her hands in his. “T thank you very greatly for your kindness,” he said, with an attempt at his usual formality that was pathetically unsuccessful ; “and I shall be honoured if you care to call me friend. You have come to me at a sorrowful, nay, at a very awful moment of my life ; more awful than can even betold. Is there anything I can do for you to prove I am not ungrateful ?” The tears were running down Mrs. Prideaux-Power’s face. ‘“‘ Forgive them, if you can,” she said; ‘‘it will be so much better. But if you cannot, never mind, for I will be friends with you just the same, and will never forgive Agatha Ffoulkes then, either.” Did some yearning desire of his heart jump with the suggestion ? ‘‘Can you wait for me to write a short letter?” he asked. ‘* An hour,” she answered, moderately. And Mr. Seaton took up Amy’s pleading epistle, and sat down to his portfolio to write. It is not easy for pride and obstinacy to pardon, to own to wrong- doing on their own part, to submit to a future of mutual forgiveness, | new relations and new times. Prompt measures are the wisest when the course has been resolved on, but only love can make them palatable; human love, that can compass the test and be content ; diviner love, that calls its hardness sweet. With hand grown firmer, Mr. Seaton directed his envelope to a London hotel named by Amy in her letter. “Will that do?” he said to his new-found friend, giving her the missive to read. ‘Mr. Seaton, you are the best of men,” she answered in earnest and affectionate tones; ‘such a letter ought to break her heart, and make her happy for life.” EOMIGIOOKS mn