The Argosy — page 356: what you’re looking at

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

The Lovely Widow. 335 boudoir, out on to the balcony, and thence to the window of Florence’s room. It was unfastened, and the room empty. [very: thing was in confusion, but on the table lay a letter Florence had sat up late to write, and addressed to Captain Melville. He tore it open, and found that his bride had fled to become the wife of the rich baronet, who had been a poor younger son in the family where she had been governess, and who had been her lover in those old days before she married Mr. Grant. “Forgive me, Archie, if you can. I loved him when I was only sixteen, but we were both poor, and he dared not offend his parents by marrying a governess. When I saw him again, I knew no other marriage was possible for me, and had not courage to tell you—” “So that is done!” said Archie, with bitter calm. “Archie,” said Major Dale, with fervent sympathy, “it isa horrible affair now—but, mark my words, you are saved from marrying the most heartless woman who ever wore an angel’s face! //f Belmont had not become a rich man—and she only heard of his accession to his poor brother’s property since her visit here—Mrs. Grant would have married you.” Jennie stole in with awed face and tearful anxiety. He took her hand. “There will be no wedding, Jennie; we have lost our bride.” And the strong man broke down, and ended his troubles in an illness of many weeks, where the events that had caused it pursued him as phantoms of horror in every grotesque variety. Beautiful amongst many beauties reigned Lady Belmont—but her treachery was avenged ; for the man she married possessed neither principle nor tenderness, and soon wearied of her. Archie, some years later, married Rose Lee, the pretty younger sister of Major Dale’s bride, Kate; and the episode of the fair widow’s visit to Lovell Park is never alluded to by the family of the man she injured. MINNIE DOUGLAS. — CSS COMM () jKOO|KS,CO am