The Argosy — page 268: what you’re looking at

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

The White Witch. 243 “No,” dissented Godfrey, ‘‘I decline to hear it. My father will be in very shortly: he can do as he pleases.” Terrified on the score of Mary, restlessly uneasy, Godfrey wandered out again. It struck him that she might have taken refuge at the farm under the friendly wing of Nancy Wilding. He was limping towards it when he met Nancy. : “Ts Miss Dixon at your house, Nancy?” he asked. ‘‘ Have you seen her?” Nancy looked at him keenly. ‘‘ No,” she answered slowly, ‘‘ Miss Dixon is not at our house. Ought you to be about, Master Godfrey ?” But Godfrey was struck with something peculiar in her look and tone ; he also noticed that she did not deny having seen Miss Dixon. With a warm impulsive movement, he put both his hands upon her shoulders. “Nancy,” he said earnestly, ‘‘ you have been my good friend for many years. Besonow. If you know aught of Miss Dixon, tell it me. More danger is gathering about her than you can picture, and I must shield her from it if I can.” “Then I think I had better tell you, Master Godfrey,” was the unexpected answer. And Nancy began a short narrative. That afternoon, soon after four o’clock, Nancy Wilding, coming to- wards home from an errand, saw accidentally a light spring cart with a white covering drawn up in the lane by the back wall of the farm. She knew both the cart and horse to be Miller Bowden's. In her curiosity she went up to it, to inquire as to what it was doing there, and to her surprise found the cart had nobody in it. While wonder- ing at this, and exercising her imaginative powers, Ben Griffiths came rushing up from the direction of the Abbey, carrying a lady’s hand- bag, which he put into the cart. ** What’s the English of all this, Ben?” cried she. * The English of it is, that it’s no business of yours, Miss Nancy,” answered impudent Ben. ‘The sooner you make yourself scarce, the better.” “No doubt,” retorted Nancy. She went a little way farther off, and stood watching. In a minute, she saw Miss Dixon, also hastening in the direction of the cart. Before she had quite gained it, Nancy advanced and stood in her way. “Don’t hinder me, Nancy,” pleaded the panting girl; ‘ oh, don’t hinder me!” ) “I'd not hinder you, Miss Dixon,” replied Nancy gravely. “I'd rather help you if I can; though I don’t know what the trouble is.” “TI am trying to escape from my enemies,” she said. ‘“ Ben is so good; he has got this cart, and is going to drive me to the station. Do not let anybody know that you have seen me, for the love of heaven !” “Not axy body,” said Nancy. EONNIE OOO KS (E(©) m