The Argosy — page 353: what you’re looking at

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

330 The White Witch. foundation, and that neither mother nor daughter wished to avoic meeting Sir William. The last doubt would be speedily set at rest, for this was the day of the dinner at Goule Park. If the two ladies went to it, it would be a proof that all was right; if they did not go, why, then the burning question would remain—why did they stay away P Evening approached. In his restless impatience, Godfrey was ready before anybody else, and paced the drawing-room while waiting : one instant laughing at the mystery he had conjured-up ; the next, anticipating the meeting with Sir William. In his excitement he forgot completely for the time that it could not make any difference to him, the promised husband of Elspeth Thornhill, whether Miss Dixon were saint or sinner. At last he heard steps and voices in the hall. Opening the door, he met his father, looking very uneasy and downcast, and Miss Dixon in a magnificent lemon-coloured silk gown ; but without gloves, flowers or ornaments. ‘‘ Here’s a terrible state of things!” cried out Mr. Mayne, piteously. ‘‘My wife has a nervous attack, brought on by the thunder this afternoon !” “Thunder!” exclaimed Godfrey. ‘‘ There has not been any thunder—except a very little in the distance.” ‘‘ But that frightened her, itseems ; made her think we might have a storm before we got back again! And she says that she should die if a storm overtook us when we were driving at night. So she won’t go. When I tried to persuade her, she nearly went into hysterics.” ‘But that is nonsense,” said Godfrey, impatiently, his suspicions in full force. ‘‘ It must be all fancy; we sha’n’t have a storm: she ought to go, father.” ‘“‘My dear Godfrey,” said his father, surprised at his vehement tone, ‘‘if I cannot persuade her, nobody else can. Come; ve must start : we are late, as it is.” ‘But, Miss Dixon—she is going!” cried Godfrey. For the girl had turned to go upstairs. ‘“‘No, she stays at home also. Her mother will not spare her.” But Godfrey went past him and laid his hand on Miss Dixon’s arm, his face and voice resolute. ‘‘ What does this mean ?” said he, in a low, hard tone. ‘* Why do you avoid this? You shall go.” ‘Godfrey !” reproved his father, in surprise. ‘‘ You are forgetting yourself, What business is it of yours? You are frightening Mary, too, see. Go upstairs to your mother, my dear. And Godfrey, come along at once; don’t stand there looking angry.” Casting at him a dumb, beseeching glance from her sad brown eyes, Mary went upstairs. Godfrey followed his father into the carriage, and sat perfectly deaf to his comments on his amazing conduct. Mr. Mayne was not sorry to find vent for his annoyance at his wife’s unreasonable caprice. But the young man’s brain was reeling Eomichooks.co m