The Argosy — page 113: what you’re looking at

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

100 The White Witch. The gathering clouds grew darker rapidly. Faint lightning flashes were followed by distant peals of thunder, and the first few drops of rain fell. The storm was upon them, almost without warning. Some of the children were being led towards the school-house, which was some distance off. ‘The rest were huddled together under the thick branches of the elms, and among them stood Elspeth, with Godfrey by her side. ‘Elspeth, Elspeth, you must come home,” called her mother, espying the reluctant girl. ‘‘ You will get wet through. Come at once. Make haste.” ‘“‘T will come round to the Vicarage this evening if I don’t find you about here,” said Godfrey. She ran off. The Thornhill party had not. got home before the rain came down in a blinding sheet of water. Godfrey was still standing idly with his back against the tree, when a bright glare of lightning, followed quickly by a loud thunder-crash, startled the poor children round him and made the little girls scream. This tree was at a very short distance from the Abbey. Godfrey looked at the little ones. “Here, children; follow me to the Abbey: quick, or you'll be drenched,” said he. And snatching up a small howling thing of three or four, who thought he was the thunder and thumped him for his trouble, he made for the house through the pouring rain. He burst open the front door, hustled the children in, and set down his small burden with a remonstrance for her ingratitude. Then he shouted for Hawkins; but that gentleman, being timid, always locked himself up in the cellar during the storm, and there- fore did not appear. The maids had shut themselves in the servants’ hall and were busy with the cook, who was in hysterics. Godfrey looked at his flock, wondering what he should do with them. There were eight or ten of them, boys and girls. Then he led the way to the breakfast-room, opened the door, and told them to go in. They obeyed, but they had scarcely got inside when, just as he was going to shut the door upon them, there came another vivid flash of lightning, and the children, howling and screaming with all their might, rushed out and surrounded him, andclung to him in inarticulate terror. He wished he had not been so impulsively benevolent. ‘¢ What the deuce is the matter with the little idiots ?” he muttered. ‘**‘ Go back again, you silly children, there is nothing to be afraid of.” ‘ There’s a witch in there!” they screamed, sobbing in terrified alarm. ‘She is all in white. Oh, sir, save us from her! It isa white witch !” Godfrey, somewhat puzzled at this, opened the door again, and went in himself. As he entered, a double flash lit up the room ; and standing before him in the blue and blinding glare was a slight figure with a ghastly face and large weird dark eyes, dressed all in white. With the sick, faint feeling that a shock of surprise in the midst of excitement sometimes gives, Godfrey turned back suddenly, without Eomichbooks.co m