The Argosy — page 276: what you’re looking at

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

The White Wt1tch. 251 - grey hair on his head and face, to make himself look like a middle-aged man! But for what? How crafty these detectives were, and how could Mary or her mother hope to defend themselves from him ? * Tt’s fearfully cold to-night,” said he to the man beside him. His teeth were chattering, and he was shivering from head to foot. “Ves, sir,” said the policeman. But the weather was warm forthe time of year, and he knew that the gentleman was only cold because he was ill. Turning as he gave his answer, and seeing that the shivering had suddenly ceased, and that some startling change had come over the sickly face, it struck him all at once that it was a dead man he was carrying home to his friends. He touched his arm, and Godfrey opened his eyes and shivered again. “IT beg pardon, sir; hadn’t you better stop at a doctor’s ?”’ “Doctor's! Oh, no. I’m all right, thank you; only rather done up.” Lady Ann Northstone’s was an early, sober household ; and Mrs. Penteith, mistress of it for the time being, was early also. When the cab stopped in Eaton Place, the lights of the hall and passages had been extinguished for the night, and everybody was gone upstairs. The policeman rang them down again, and Godfrey was helped into the sitting-room. Mrs. Penteith came down in great alarm. The policeman detained her for a moment before she went into the room, to explain what he knew of the matter. ** He seems very ill indeed, ma’am,” he whispered in conclusion. *{ think a doctor ought to see him at once. [Ill fetch one if it will be any accommodation to you—if you'll tell me who.” “Thank you ; wait one moment,” she answered. Godfrey was lying back in the chair where they had placed him. He kissed his aunt affectionately, and asked her pardon for coming to her so unexpectedly, and in such a sick state. **T didn’t know where else to go to, Aunt Madge,” said he. ‘‘ The hotels _ ** My poor boy,” she interrupted, bending over him with tears in her eyes, “how can you talk like that where should you go, but to me? Who in the whole world would welcome you so warmly as J, or nurse you so tenderly ?” ‘I know, I know,” he murmured, getting faint again. ‘But it is Only for to-night, you know, aunt. To-morrow, I ——” Godfrey did not conclude the sentence ; he broke down. His head fell, his face turned whiter even than * had been before, and he looked like a dying man. With streaming eyes, Mrs. Penteith availed herself of the friendly policeman’s offer, and told him what medical man to fetch. Mean- while a room was hastily prepared for Godfrey ; and Mrs. Penteith’s own maid, Dunning, a sour-faced woman who had been in her service twenty years, and was almost as much attached to the young fellow Gomichboo (E@) m