The Argosy — page 302: what you’re looking at

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

284 A Great Mystery. “ A bank-note !” echoed Janet, repeating the words quickly. ‘‘ /s it safe P—are you sure, ma’am, the note is safe?” | “Well, I conclude it is,” answered Miss Deveen with composure. ‘I saw the cash-box before I came down this morning. I did not look nside it.” ‘ Oh, but you had better look,” urged Janet, betraying some excitement. “Suppose it should be gone! Can J/ look, ma’am?” ‘‘ What nonsense!” exclaimed Helen. ‘If the cash-box is safe, the money must be safe inside it. The thieves did not go into Miss Deveen’s room, Janet Carey.” The servants wanted the police called in; but their mistress saw no necessity for it. Nothing had been carried off she said, and therefore she should take no further trouble. Her private opinion was that George, in spite of his assertions, must have forgotten the window. It seemed a curious thing that the thieves had not visited other rooms. Unless, indeed, the door of this one had been locked on the outside, and they were afraid to risk the noise of forcing it: and no one could tell whether the key had been turned, or not. George had the plate-basket in his bed-chamber ; but on the sideboard in the dining-room stood a silver tea-caddy and a small silver waiter: how was it they had not walked off with these two articles? Or, as the cook said, why didn’t they rifle her larder? She had various tempting things in it, including a fresh- boiled ham. ‘‘ Janet Carey has been sick all the afternoon,” observed Anna, when. I and Helen got home before dinner, for we had been out with Miss Deveen. ‘I think she feels fnghtened about the thieves, for one thing.” “Sick for nothing !” returned Helen slightingly. ‘‘ Why should she be frightened any more than we are? The thieves did not hurt her. I might just as well say I am sick.” ‘‘ But she has been really sick, Helen. She has a shivering-fit one minute and is sick the next. Cattledon says she must have caught cold yesterday, and is cross with her for catching it.” “Look here,” said Helen, dropping her voice. “I can’t get it out of my head that that old fortune-teller must have had to do with it. She must have seen the secretary and may have taken note of the window fastenings. I am in a state over it: as you both know, it was I who had her up.” Janet did not come down until after dinner. She was pale and quiet, but not less ready than ever to do what she could foreverybody. Helen had brought home some ferns to—transfer, I think she called it. Janet at once offered to help her. ‘The process involved a large washhand- basin full of water, and Miss Deveen sent them to the breakfast-parlour, not to make a mess in the drawing-room. “Well, my dears,” said Miss Deveen, when she had read the Chapter before bed-time, “I hope you will all sleep well to-night, and that we ECORNICLOOO SS (CO) in —_)