The Argosy — page 297: what you’re looking at

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

A Great Mystery. 279 ‘‘ What stupid cards they are!” cried Helen, in dudgeon. “I dare: say it’s all rubbish.” ‘ Any ways, you’ve had nothing bad,” said the old woman.. “ And that’s a priceless consolation.” ‘Its your turn now, Anna.” ‘‘T won’t have mine told,” said Anna. “ I’m afraid.” ‘‘Oh, you senseless donkey!” cried Bill. ‘‘ Afraid of a pack of cards!” So Anna laughed, and began. ‘Ah, there’s more here,” said the old woman as she laid them out. ‘‘'You are going through some great ceremony not long first. See here —crowds of people—and show. Is it a great ball, I wonder?” ‘It may be my presentation,” said Anna. ‘‘ And here’s the wedding-ring !—and there’s the gentleman! See! he’s turning towards you: a dark man it 1s: and he'll be very fond of you, too !—and——_” ‘Oh, don’t go on,” cried out Anna, in dreadful confusion as she heard all this, and caught Tod’s eye, and Bill on the broad laugh. ‘“ Don’t, pray don’t ; it must be all nonsense,” she went on, blushing redder than a stormy sunset. “ But its true,” steadily urged the old lady. “ There the wedding is. I don’t say it'll be soon ; perhaps not for some years; but, come it will in Its time. And you'll live in a fine big house; and—stay a bit— there'll 7 Anna, half laughing, half crying, and her face hotter than Dame Ness’s fiery bow, pushed the cards together. “I won't be told any more,” she said : ‘it’s all a pack of nonsense.” “Of course it is,” added Helen decisively. ‘‘ And why couldn’t you have told me ail that, Mrs. Ness?” : ‘“Why, my dear, sweet young lady, it isn’t me that tells; it’s the cards.” ‘‘T don’t believe it. But it does to while away a wet and wretched afternoon. Now, Miss Carey.” Miss Carey looked off her book with a start. “Oh,not me! Please, not me!” “ Not you !—the idea!” cried Helen. ‘“ Why, of course you must. I and my sister have had our turn, and you must take yours.” As if further objection was out of the question, Miss Carey stood up by the table and shuffled the cards that Dame Ness handed to her. When they were spread out,.the old woman looked at the cards longer than she had looked for either Helen or Anna, then at the girl, then at the cards again. ‘“‘ There has been sickness ;—and trouble ;—and distress,” she said at length. ‘“ And—and—'tain’t over yet. I see a dark lady and a fair man : they’ve been in it, somehow. Seems to ha’ been a great big trouble—” putting the tips of her forefingers upon two cards, “‘ Here yow are, you COMIC OOOKS. EO in —_)