The Argosy — page 111: what you’re looking at

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94 The White Witch. Godfrey, with hesitation, uncertain how far he might venture. ‘‘ With a thousand pounds in your pocket, you might do well.” “Catch thieves over there, instead of here,” remarked Mr. Cattermole, pleasantly. ‘‘ The young lady would have to get away also.” * But why?” ‘‘She must do that in any case, and without much delay, if she is to avoid the worst. Sir William, as you probably are aware, does not know her by sight; as long as he does not see her wth the other lady, she is safe. But when once the younger one is out of reach, even if he does see the elder he has no proof that he could bring against her, whatever his suspicions may be.” ‘You are sure of this?” asked Godfrey, thinking of his father. ‘ Absolutely sure. If the young lady stays here, neither of them is safe ; if she goes, both are. ‘That is the whole sum and substance of the matter. You see, sir, I am placing confidence in you.” “Yes; thank you. Do they know this themselves? ” ‘“Why, of course they do. Iam not so officially hard as you may deem me, Mr. Mayne; and I have taken my opportunities to Ze them know it—both mother and daughter.” Godfrey thought he understood now the reason of his sending notes to Miss Dixon, and of the hazardous intrusion of the previous night. “But,” he said aloud, ‘‘ where could the young lady take refuge ?” ‘“ Not anywhere in this country—to be safe. You have mentioned the best place, for her, sir—America.” ' “ America!” echoed Godfrey, startled. ‘ How could she go all that way alone P—and stay there unprotected ?”, ‘‘T would take her, and stay with her to protect her.” “You!” exclaimed Godfrey. ‘ What are you thinking of? Are you mad P” ‘Not in the least mad,” said Mr. Cattermole. “I have reposed some confidence in you, sir, and I may as well go a little further. I have proposed to the young lady, and to her mother, to make her my wife. Don’t fling away like that, sir! Listen: I have liked her ever since I saw her in Rome; I like her so much that I am willing to overlook that past blemish in her hfe—she was but a young thing at the time—and marry her. You surely do not think, Mr. Mayne, that a man who has worked himself up step by step to a difficult and responsible position, would throw up his career just for a few hundred pounds, as you have suggested tome? No, no, sir. You look down upon me and my profession; but, rough though I may appear, I was born a gentleman, the son of a gentleman, and reared one. It is not every man, allow me to say, who’d make a wife of a woman with the charge of murder hanging over her.” “You must be mistaken,” said Godfrey, hotly, in his confusion. ‘She is engaged at this moment to a gentleman who knows all her history, and to whom she Is attached.” ad GEomicbooks.co