Argosy, Vol. 122, No. 1 — page 27: what you’re looking at

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

THE CARAVAN tainer, but was silent. She noticed that Aunt Kate’s cherished pail of medicines, camouflaged by a respectable black cloth, rested under the steamer chair, secured therein during the confusion of boarding. Miss Rand was never divorced from this treasure chest of wonderful remedies. It contained her conception of every necessary cure for all the ills that flesh is heir to. Once Edith, during an attack of youthful mal de mer, had been subject to the minis- trations of the pail, and the memory had served to keep her in good health ever _ since. The girl fancied that Miss Rand had - added a mysterious snake-bite remedy to the medicines, in preparation for India. She often thought that if her aunt should lose the pail the disaster would precipitate an immediate visitation of illness. “By the way’—Miss Rand suddenly focused her eyeglasses on her niece—‘‘ the maid I tipped at the hotel said you were nearly maimed for life on the fortifications. Is that true?” Edith had not mentioned her escape, for fear of worrying her father. “You mustn’t believe all you're told, Aunt Kate.” | ‘‘ Edith, I know you are telling a story! You did fall. It was the morning you went with Mr. Monsey. ! Captain Monsey at least, he looks so like a soldier. The maid said a man saved you.” “He must have had a long arm, then, Aunt Kate, if he saved me after I fell from the heights.” Miss Rand was not to be denied. “ Really, that was romantic, Edith. Why didn’t you tell me?’ You thanked him, of course.”- The girl made no response. ‘“‘ Mr. Monsey is well mannered and quite good- looking. He must have money. You might do worse.” — Edith twisted ur.comfortably in her chair. “ Aunt Kate, suppose I married a man who wasn’t an Englishman, aad had ever such bad manners and no money?” ‘“‘Impossible. You are too attractive. The money part, at least, is impossible. You have the Rand position in society at home to maintain.” _ Both women were silent. 2 ARGOSY The girl. like I think it should be OF THE DEAD. 17 her aunt, had thought of this as a thing assured. She had been brought up to con- sider it as a matter of course. ‘I reckon y’ all take a lot fo’ granted,” she drawled wickedly, irritating her aunt. “Edith! Well, of course your father has money enough.” Miss Rand paused. Re- cently she had come to suspect that Arthur Rand was not so prosperous as formerly. “Dear me, you must think of marrying, some time. Don’t you /Jike Edouard Monsey?” She lowered her voice, inviting confidence. ‘“T don’t know.” “Tt would be a romantic match.” Edith sucked: her lip—a habit of hers when thinking. She was thinking just then of the man who had held her in his em- brace. No other man had done that. But, then, no other man had kept her from lalling off the heights of Quebec. “Child, you must have an idea—one way or the other. J like Monsey!” ‘I wonder,” mused the girl, “if he is a gentleman.” “ As if it could be doubted!” Edith smiled vaguely. ‘‘ Do you know who he is, Auntie Kate?’’ Miss Rand had made inquiries on that subject, at the hotel. _ “Not exactly. I think he has been trav- eling for pleasure since the war. Of course, he must have served during the war. All Englishmen—” “Ts he an Englishman?” “Well, he has important business some- where in India or Turkestan or some such place. But the hotel manager did say he was a Russian or Pole by birth.” ‘““He is going to dance with me at Srin- agar.” She fell silent, busied with her thoughts. Miss Rand could get no further response to probing, and looked around for her brother. In a near:by cabin, Arthur Rand was seated before an array of papers spread on his berth. Through clouds of tobacco smoke he scanned letters of introduction, specification graphs, and order blanks. He leaned back in the chair, thumbs under his vest, in roseate contemplation of the future. Arthur Rand was engrossed in the pleas- ant process of imaginary industry build- cComiclbooks.com