The Argosy — page 32: what you’re looking at

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

22 Anne Hereford. Leet neey. no child ever before expenenced. And the next thing I saw was Mr. Edwin Barley, coming towards us with his gun, not quite from the same direction, but very nearit. I had been thinking that George Heneage must have done it, but another question arose now to my termified heart : Could it have been Mr. Edwin Barley? “Philip, what is it?” he asked, as he came up. ‘ Has any one fired at you ?” ‘“‘ George Heneage,” was the faint rejoinder. “I saw him. He stood there.” With a motion of the eyes, rather than with aught else, poor Philip King pointed to the left, and Mr. Edwin Barley turned and looked, laying his gun against a tree. Nothing was to be seen. ‘‘ Are you sure, Philip P” “T tell it you with my dying lips. I saw him.” Not another word. Mr. Edwin Barley raised his head, but the face had grown still, and had an awful shade upon it—the same shade that mamma’s first wore after she was dead. Mr. Barley put the head gently down, and stood looking at him. Allin amoment he caught sight of me, and I think it startled him. ‘“‘ Are you there, you little imp ?” But the word, ugly though it sounds, was spoken in rough surprise, not in unkindness. I cried and shook, too terrified to give any answer. Mr. Barley stood up before Philip King, so that I no longer saw him. ‘‘What were you doing in the wood ?” “T lost my way, and could not:get out, sir,” I sobbed, trembling lest he should press for further details. “That gentleman saw me, and was saying he would show me the way out, when he fell.” “Had he been here long P” “TI don’t know. I was crying a good while, and not looking up. It was Only a minute ago that I saw him standing there.” “Did you see Mr. Heneage fire ?” “Qh no, sir. I did not see Mr. Heneage at all.” He took my hand, walked with me a few steps, and showed me a path that was rather wider than the others. “Go straight down here until you come to a cross-path, running nght and left: it is not far. Take the one to the right, and it will bring you out in front of the house. Do you understand, little one ?” “Yes, sir,” I answered, though, in truth, too agitated to understand distinctly, and only anxious to get away from him. Suppose he should shoot me! was running through my foolish thoughts. ‘* Make speed to the house, then,” he resumed, “and see Charlotte Delves. Tell her what has occurred: that Philip King has been shot, and that she must send help to convey him home. She must also send at once for the doctor, and for the police. Can you remember all that P” : COIN G NOOKS (GO)