The Argosy — page 379: what you’re looking at

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

356 The White Witch. of one of the sweetest and most glorious voices ever heard, broke upon their ear in a sacred song. Godfrey stood entranced, forgetting everything. He was recalled by a sharp, convulsive pressure upon his arm. ‘Turning in alarm to Sir William, he saw his face likewise convulsed, as in an agony. “You are ill, Sir William!” cried Godfrey. “Ffush! Listen!” responded Sir William ; and Godfrey thought he must be affected by the magnificence of the singing. But before the song had come to an end, a terrible remembrance flashed into Godfrey’s brain, of what Sir William had said at the dinner-table. Of the woman with the sweet voice who had helped to lure his son to his death—the voice which was without compare, and which he should undoubtedly know again. The agony depicted in Sir William’s face was equalled by that which sprang up in God- frey's heart. Sir William touched him. “Tt is the same voice and the same song. It must be the same woman. Let me go in and denounce her.” “Wait here,” gasped Godfrey. ‘It will be best. She must come out this way. Wait for me.” Leaving Sir William in the porch, Godfrey went in and stole rapidly to the organ, at which Mary Dixon was seated. She felt a hand laid sharply on her shoulder, and looking round, was startled by the wild look of his pale face. ‘“‘Come here,” said he in a very low voice, but with so much authority that she rose at his bidding. He still had his hand on her shoulder, and as soon as she was on her feet, he forced her across the narrow chancel with an energy which was little short of violence. The organ was on one side the chancel; the vestry was on the other, and the key was in the lock. Godfrey turned it, opened the door, and said ‘ Go in there.” In her astonishment at this imperative movement, Mary had had neither breath nor presence of mind to resist; but she made a feeble show of it now, and would have drawn back. Godfrey pushed her in ; shook off the hand which had placed itself in remonstrance on his coat-cuff, and locked the door. All had passed so quietly that the girl who had been blowing, and was busily employed now in shutting the organ up with a great clatter, had noticed nothing. As Godfrey returned, she was coming forth, looked surprised to see him, and then gazed about her. ‘Why, where’s Miss Dixon, sir?” she asked. ‘‘ Miss Dixon is gone. And you had better go, too, as fast as you can. A gentleman is waiting outside to see the organ.” Away went the girl in swift commotion. And, just outside the church door, she came face to face with Sir William Hunt. (To be continued.) Gomicbooks.co m