The Argosy — page 304: what you’re looking at

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

286 A rreal Ilys lery. That argument was unanswerable. Unless the thieves had been disturbed on each night, how was it they had taken nothing? Miss Deveen locked the door upon the room just as it was; and after breakfast sent George to the neres! police-station. While he was gone, I was alone in the dininy-room. stooping down to hunt for a book in the lowest compartment of the book-case, when Janet Carey came in followed by Cattledon. 1 suppose the falling table-cover hid me from them, for Cattledon begin to blow her up. ‘‘Qne would think you were « troulJed ghost, shaking and shivering in that way, first upstairs and then «lawn! The police coming !—— what if they are? They are not coming after you this time. There's no money missing now.” Janet burst into tears. “ih. aut. why do you speak so to me? It is just as though you believed me yuilts ¢) “Don’t be a simpleton, Janet.” rebuked Cattledon in a softer tone. ‘Tf I did not know you were nin. and could not be guilty, should I have brought you here under Misx J)<veen’s roof? What vexes me so much is to see you look as thouzh vov were guilty—with your white face, and your hysterics, and wour treinbling hands and lips. Geta little spirit into yourself, child : the polices won't harm you.” Catching up the keys from the table she went out again, leaving Janet sobbing. I stood forward. She =~turtcd’ when she saw me, and tried to dry her eyes. “Tam sorry, Miss Carey, that all this bother is affecting you. Why are you so sad?” ‘¢T—have gone through a great deal of trouble ;—and been ill,” she answered, with hesitation, catching up her sobs. ‘Can I do anything for you ? --to help you in any way? ” ‘Vou are very kind, Mr. I.udlow : vou have been kind to me all along. There’s nothing any one ein do. Sometimes I wish I could die.” “Die!” ‘There is so much unhapjiness in the world !” George’s voice was heard in the hall with the policeman. Janet vanished. But whether it was through the floor or out at the door, I declare I did not see then, «and «lon't euite know to this day. I and Cattledon were allowe:| to «ssist at the conference between Miss Deveen and the policem:n: « Cork man with a double chin and stripes on his coat sleeve. After hearing ;-articulars, and examining the room and the mess it was in, he inyqitired how many servants were kept, and whether Miss Deveen had vcuntidence in them. She told him the number and said she had conndenee in all of them. He went into the kitchen, put what yucstions he pleased to the ser- vants, looked at the fastenings of the ceors generally, examined the outside of the window and walked shout the garden: George called CORNICLOO SS (CO)