A Social Meteor — page 304: what you’re looking at

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

294 A SOCIAL METEOR. seldom went down stairs at night after going to her room, and remembering her hysterical man- ner upon entering it, she was thoroughly fright- ened, but she said nothing to anyone. Glancing hastily around for a clue to her disappearance, she discovered that a heavy Spanish lace shawl was missing from its usual place. ‘Then, guided by her instinct, the faithful creature left the house and followed the path which her mistress generally took when she walked. Half way down to the water’s edge she found her handker- chief, and a little farther on, her slipper. Frantic with apprehension then, she flew back to the house to me. “I did not, could not, believe Ray had com- mitted suicide, and so I tried to pacify the weep- ing girl. Butit was no use. She knew madam was not feeling like herself all the evening; something serious had happened. Of course I immediately ordered all the men out, and joined in the search myself, but it was in vain; we could not find ‘her that night. ‘The next- morning I offered a reward for news of her dead or alive, and a few days afterward her body was brought tome by a couple of fishermen, who had come across it miles down the coast.” “Poor Ray!” murmured Georgie, shuddering. “Yes, poor girl!” said Lee; “‘a dreadful ending for so brilliant a woman. And yet, knowing her, (EOANIIE NOVO KS (E@)