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The Argosy, Vol. XXIII
Gabriel's Appointment This issue of *The Argosy* (February 1877) contains Chapter IV of "Gabriel's Appointment," a serialized novel by M. Ellen Edwards. The chapter, "Alice's First Dinner Party," follows young Alice Kerr, a poor artist arriving unannounced at her wealthy friend Edith Leicester's London home in South Kensington. Alice unpacks her meager possessions—primarily her drawings—while Edith prepares her for dinner. Upon meeting Edith's sister Clare (Tiny), Alice learns of Gabriel Bruce, a man who departed for Australia years earlier after being rejected when seeking Edith's hand in marriage due to his lack of fortune. Now returned and successful, his reappearance disturbs Edith deeply. The chapter culminates in a private dinner where Alice observes the guests, particularly the attentive Sir Jesse Strahan, while the host Hartley Carroll entertains her with anecdotes and promises of London sightseeing.