The Argosy — page 91: what you’re looking at

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

70 One Christmas Lve. Dinah paused, breathless. The scowling Doctor silently entered the house and strode over the stone passage leading to the parlour. The door was half open. Dr. Driver paused in the dark and stood ons the threshold in gloomy silence. ‘The large fire-place was one mass: of glowing coal. In its ruddy neighbourhood the room was cosy and. cheerful ; beyond its reach the shadows and gloom were impenetrable. A very pretty, yellow-haired girl, sat in the most comfortable corner ; opposite to her sat Nora, Ned’s wife, comely, matronly, most kindly of women. On the rug lay a small heap of something blue, whence issued a laugh whose merry ring chimed sweeter on Dr. Driver’s ear than the clanging of the village bells on Christmas Day. ‘Kitty laughs too much,” said Frances, severely. ‘‘ She laughs when proper people want to cry.” Nora laid a gentle hand on the head that rested against her knee, and replied: ‘“‘ Ask Kitty’s mother if she laughs too much? I have heard her say but for her bright little Kitty she should have sunk under her many trials.” Yes! Kitty’s sense of humour had carried the family over many¢ a rough place; they had lived upon it when the wolf strode to the door and lingered on the threshold. It made Kitty content now to visit Nora with only two shabby dresses in her trunk, while her cousin was gorgeously apparelled. ‘The one was rich, the other poor. ‘They were cousins, these two, and both lived in London, and both hadi come down to-day to spend Christmas at the Court. “That 1s what makes her so fat,” continued Frances. She always strove to mould Kitty after her own pattern. She was not at all fat, but only plump and comfortable. ‘““T lke my Kitty just as she is,” said Nora, tenderly. ‘I want to keep her always, and never let her go back to the step-father andi — unruly boys.” | “Oh, Nora,” cried Kitty, who was not in the habit of listening, — when discussed by her cousins, ‘‘ I can see a lovely fern blazing away — in the fire. Do let me poke it out.” She caught up the huge poker, and knelt before the fire, trying to dislodge the glowing, fossilised fern. Dr. Driver caught sight of a round, rosy face and dark curly hair. He chose this moment to enter the room, his curiosity overcoming his crossness as he looked at the two London cousins, whose visit he dreaded as an intrusion on his. — own pleasant hours with Ned and Nora, and whom he hated, though» he had never seen them before. “That is Frances, and this is Kitty,” said kindly Nora. The } Doctor fiercely glanced from one to the other, making a haughty — bow. “Insufferably conceited,” thought Kitty. ‘ I’m afraid I shall be — obliged to do something to aggravate him.” She continued to poke at the embers. Nothing could have beem — more calculated to annoy the Doctor. He laboured under the delusiom | Gomicvooks.com