The Argosy — page 364: what you’re looking at

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

The White Witch. 341 her ; she was unhappy, and he must comfort her. On the face of it, this was a delicate task for an engaged man: but for all the cynicism he professed, for all the passion he now began to feel, Godfrey was as pure-hearted as a child, and he trusted quite simply to his own single-minded intentions. And then some day, some day—if that past could be entirely cleared—ah, what a glorious future was possible ! When he should be free, somehow, and she should know that he loved her with all his heart and soul. And so he stood and thought and dreamt, and the glamour upon him grew brighter ; until he heard her—her—coming down the long corridor, and fell to trembling when she was so close as almost to touch him. And she? After the first moment of surprise and fright, for she did not immediately recognise the intruder, her indignation rose against this man. For a thought flashed into her mind that he must have come there to lie in wait for her; to take her, all unprepared, weary, sick with anxiety as she was, to accuse her, to question her, to frighten her—all the outcome of what he had heard at the dinner- table. Her spirit rose at the very thought of the insolence. * Good night,” she said, turning abruptly, to retreat. “One moment, please, Miss Dixon,” said he, with that thrill in his voice which makes man or woman pause and listen. He had moved a little now, and stood upright, and he gently touched her dress to arrest her. ‘‘I want to say a few words to you.” **T am very tired now. Won't to-morrow do, Mr. Godfrey ?” ‘No, no; there is something—just a word—I must say to-night. I see you are tired; I won’t keep you; but I was very rude this evening, just before we started for Goule Park, and I am glad not to wait until the morning to tell you how much ashamed I feel, and how very, very sorry I am to have caused you any distress—for you looked distressed. You will not refuse to forgive me, I hope.” “Of course I will not refuse. Indeed, I had forgotten all about it. I took it for granted that you must bave been vexed about some other matter, so that a little thing irritated you.” She spoke coldly and carelessly. He appeared to be in the kind, gentle mood she had begun to think the most dangerous in him, and to-night there was something in his tone she had not heard before, something which told her there was a meaning, a purpose in all this. He was going to be her enemy, she supposed: well, she must avoid him now, and cope with him another time. But he had decided that it should be now. ** Was it such a very little thing, Miss Dixon?” he asked. “We will discuss that some other time,” said she, wearily. “I do not feel equal to a late argument to-night in the passage.” “Were you not coming here to get a breath of air, this close night ?” “Yes, I was,” she answered, truthfully ; ‘for my hzad aches,” Gomichoo CS (E(0) m