The Argosy — page 102: what you’re looking at

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

The White Witch. 85 “ Dick?” repeated Godfrey gently. ‘It was Dick?” “Why yes, sir, of course it was. He will have to be sent away somewhere now: and it will just break my heart.” “ Well, then, you may keep your heart whole, Nancy,” he answered, ‘poor Dick shall not be sent away.” Nancy looked at him, to read his countenance, hardly believing. ‘‘ Do you mean that, sir?” “Yes, Nancy; or I should not say it.” The young woman’s face lighted up. ‘‘Well, you are good-hearted, Master Godfrey! I could kiss you for that.” You may if you like, Nancy. If I kissed you when you were a young damsel, you used to give me a swinging box on the ears for it, I remember.” Nancy laughed, but did not respond to the permission. She enquired what it was that her poor brother had really done, having heard different versions of it from the servants. “The intruder must have got in through one of the refectory windows and then crept upstairs,” said Godfrey. ‘‘When he wanted to get out again, he tried the school-room window, broke through it, fell on the greenhouse roof, and crashed it in.” *That’s the part of the story that puzzles me most, sir: Dick isn’t clumsy: like most half-witted folk, he is light and careful as a cat. Of course my father will send to have the repairs done, sir.” “Nonsense, he will do nothing of the kind,” returned Godfrey peremptorily. ‘‘ What does Dick say for himself?” * First of all, he declared he did not doit. Then he turned sullen and wouldn’t say anything more.” “He came to you to have his head bound up, I suppose ?” “No; Dick won’t let me touch him. In the night; that is, early this morning— it could not have been very long after you called me to the window, sir—I heard somebody stumbling and limping along the passage. Dick, I supposed, and he seemed to be making for Mr. Cattermole’s room. I called out to know what he could want, daring to wake up a gentleman at that time of night. But he took no notice, and when I opened my door Mr. Cattermole had let him in.” “You did not see him, then ?” “The first I saw of him was at breakfast, with his head and arm bound up. We had heard the story then, and didn’t father give it to the poor lad! I know he deserved it; but ——” “‘ Did nobody take his part ?” ‘Nobody but Mr. Cattermole. He opened the door while father was talking and threatening, and pulled Dick away and sheltered him in his parlour. It was he who had dressed Dick’s wounds. Dick must have been going to his room inthe night for consolation. He worships Mr. Cattermole, who is really very kind to him, just as he does Miss Dixon.” Gomichoo (E(@) m i i ee