The Argosy — page 370: what you’re looking at

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

The White Witch. 347 A long time ago she knew Sir William, and a matter arose between them in which she treated him, as he thought, very ill. I know the circumstances, and I do think he had reason to feel aggrieved and hurt ; though not to the extent he did, or to vow he would sometime be revenged upon her. JBut they say he is a man who treasures up his wrongs, and even now she is afraid to meet him, whether rightly or not, I cannot say. It is possible that he might attempt to make mischief between her and Mr. Mayne. She never cared a straw for Sir William ; while the other man, for whom she—she—threw him over, she would have given her life for.” ‘Is this true?” asked Godfrey, impulsively. ** Every word of it is true.” Godfrey bent his head in an agony of relief and thankfulness. When he looked up, he met the gaze of her speaking eyes fastened upon him with an eager intentness that startled him. It meant some- thing he could not understand. As he met her look her eyes fell. * You will not suspect me again? ” “JT will not. I will keep your confidence, and your mother’s secret, with my life,” said he, fervently. ‘You must keep it. And you can do so with a clear conscience; for she, poor kindly mother, has never done aught worse than tell a few harmless stories and practise a few simple manceuvres—which were always found out—1in all her life.” This was exactly the character Godfrey would himself have given his step mother. In his relief he laughed. ‘“Thank Heaven the secret was not yours!” he breathed in a low voice. ‘ You—you can understand perhaps how glad I am ?” ‘Yes, of course,” said she, quietly. ‘And now I will wish you good-night, Mr. Godfrey.” He clasped nervously the hand she held out to him, and turned to walk up tHe gallery with her. . ‘‘ You will forgive me my doubts, sus- picions, questions, everything? If not, I ‘s ‘*‘T forgive everything on one condition,” she interrupted: ‘that you will not think of quitting the Abbey until I shall have left it.” ** But you will not leave it. Surely you will not. You have just said you would forgive me.” He spoke with more fervour than the occasion required, and Miss Dixon withdrew her hand. *T am not going on your account, I assure you, Mr. Godfrey. For some little time past I have been thinking that I ought to go. How- ever, we will leave that at present.” They were nearing the slab where she had placed the little lamp, which did not give much light. The first door was that of the old school-room ; beyond it that of Mary’s bed-room. On the opposite side a door opened into a guest-chamber, which was not occupied. Godfrey suddenly stopped, looked at her, and bent his head, in the act of listening. Putting his finger on his lips to enjoin silence, he laid > Gomichboo cS) (E() m