The Argosy — page 187: what you’re looking at

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

THE ARcosy. Anne Hereford. 17 CHAPTER VI. DEAD! E1GHT o'clock the next morning, and the church-bells ringing out on the sunshiny air! Everything looked joyous as I drew up the blind— kept down for a week previously. I dressed myself, without waiting for Jemima, in my Sunday frock, with its deep crape trimmings. The house. would be open again to-day ; Selina be sitting up. I scrambled over my dressing; I fear I scrambled over my prayers. Everything was so still below I thought they had forgotten me. Going down, I knocked at Selina’s door, and was waiting to hear her answer, when one of the maids came running up the stairs in a flurry. It was Sarah. ‘You cannot go in there, Miss Hereford.” “‘T want to see how my aunt is.” “Oh, she—she—you must not go in, miss, I say. Your aunt cannot see you just now; you must please go down into Miss Delves’s parlour.” ) I dropped the handle of the door in obedience, and went down a few steps. Sarah went on to the upper flights. But the girl’s manner had alarmed me; and, without any thought of doing wrong, I softly opened the door. The curtains were drawn closely round the bed. “Are you worse, Selinap” No reply came, and I feared she was worse. Perhaps lying with leeches to her throat? I had seen leeches to a throat once, and had never forgotten the sight. At that moment the appearance of the room struck upon me as strange. Jf seemed to have been put to rights. I pulled open the curtain in full dread of the leeches. Alas! it was not leeches I saw; buta still, white face. The face of my Aunt Selina, it is true, but—dead. I shrieked out, in my shock of terror, and flew into the arms of Sarah, who came running in. ‘“‘What is the matter?” exclaimed Charlotte Delves, flying up to the landing where we stood. “Why, Miss Hereford has been in there; and I told her not to go!” answered Sarah, hushing my face to her as she spoke. ‘ Why couldn't you listen to me, miss ?” “TI didn’t know Miss Hereford was up; she should have waited for Jemima,” said Charlotte Delves, as she laid hold of me, and led me down to her parlour. ‘Oh, Miss Delves, Miss Delves, what is it?” I sobbed. “Is she really dead ?” ‘She is dead, all too certain, my dear. But I am very sorry you should have gone in. It is just like Jemima’s carelessness !” ECOMicoOolkxs.cO©