The Argosy — page 37: what you’re looking at

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

The Mystery of Allan Grale. 7 “ Well—lI suppose it was a fancy. I don’t like that woman, Dr. Palmer. I am not sure but I fear her. Why does she dodge people’s footsteps ?—-Twice I have detected her following mine, once by night, once by day. As to the Black Pool, she seems to haunt it.” Dr. Palmer was listening attentively. “‘ Does your sister Maria know that you have had any communica- tion with Allan Grale since he went away ?” he asked. ““No, certainly not,” replied Edgar, emphatically. ‘I do not discuss private affairs, that concern me and my friends, even with my sister, And you may be inferring too much, sir. I have told you nothing on that head.” ‘You mean that you have not absolutely told me you have had communication from Allan.” “Just so.” “It would be the greatest possible relief to the minds of poor Mr. and Mrs. Grale to know that you had. They are uneasy, naturally so, not having heard of him since he went away. They would give a great deal to know where he is.” “T could not tell them that,” said Edgar. ‘I do not know my- self.” The speakers parted. That one remark of Edgar Vivian’s kept returning to Dr. Palmers mind as he walked along the sodden November roads. Why did the yellow woman follow Asm about? And why did she haunt the Black Pool ? But, summing up his interview with the young man, Dr. Palmer came to the conclusion that it had been an unsatisfactory one ; little better than waste of time. CHAPTER XXV. AT WORK AT MRS. GRALE'S. WHEN Mr. Grale heard of the strange replacing of the diamond cross, he received the startling news with an indifference which his wife con- sidered stolid and unnatural Mrs. Grale wanted to enjoy her excite- ment, which one can scarce do to the full alone, and as Mary Anne was not to know of the event, to whom could she look for the required sympathy, if not to her husband? There was only one consolation in his apathy—he seemed to have so thoroughly accepted her assurances on the care with which she kept her keys that he asked no question on the subject. But he said this: “ And, as the keys are never out of your possession, it must mean that somebody has a master key.” She thought he seemed inclined to say that with a derisive smile, rather than with due alarm. But toturn him from any dangerous enquiry, she answered in a flurry: GOMMGIO@ S