The Argosy — page 363: what you’re looking at

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

THE ARGOSY. NOVEMBER, 1887. THE MISSING RUBIES. BY SARAH DOUDNEY. ——-fo—___ CHAPTER XXVIII. AFTER “ LIFE’S FITFUL FEVER.” ie wanted still some minutes to nine, when Vordenberg entered the shop in Wardour Street on Monday morning. The bright morning light was pouring down on the dim street ; cabs were rattling cheerfully along, sight-seers were gazing at the queer old things in the shop-windows. Gregg’s door opened as usual to admit the early caller, and Gregg himself, looking half asleep, wished him good-morning as he passed through the shop. The worthy couple had not returned from their country trip till past midnight. Country friends are proverbially hospitable, and they had come home in such a bemused condition that it was wonderful how they had contrived to find their way to bed. The foreign gentle- men upstairs had not yet rung for breakfast ; and Mrs. Gregg, almost stupefied with headache, was just beginning to set about her morning work. Instead of pausing in the shop, Vordenberg went upstairs to look round the room in which that terrible scene had been enacted last night. Some letter might probably have been left for him there. The door was shut. He turned the handle, and went in. The first thing that seemed strange was that the paraffin lamp had not been extinguished, but was still burning with a steady, strong light. The blinds were still down, but the bright day came shining in, and there was something weird in this mingling of lights. A rapid glance round the room showed Vordenberg that one of the Poles had not kept his promise to depart. Stavieski was lying at full length on the sofa-bed, fast asleep. Fast asleep! His friend’s entrance. was unheard. There was no movement, no sound of long-drawn breath, nothing but the most absolute stillness and repose. His features were always wasted and pale—poor Michael—but now, seen in that strong light, a face VOL. XLIV. soy GGOBEle comlicbooks.com-