The Argosy — page 288: what you’re looking at

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

The White Witch. 263 lady who can, if she chooses, enlighten you on a good many points concerning Mary Dixon’s history.” The card bore the name and direction : “‘ Lady Davenant, Wandsworth Common.” ““T believe they call it Tooting,” observed Mr. Thorn. ‘ But I have given you the name of the station where you should get out. The house is close by ; anybody can direct you to it.” Godfrey thanked him, and left. He recognised the name, Davenant, as being the one Mary had called herself by that morning at his aunt’s, It was past four o’clock, and he considered whether he should go to Wandsworth to-day ; some instinct which he did not understand prompted a wish to stay in Town, but it was so vague, so unreason- able, that he concluded it was only the result of the fatigue he began to feel creeping over him. He therefore told the coachman to drive to Victoria, As he passed along the Strand, however, he found himself growing so faint and stupid, that he stopped the carriage, got out, and went into a café for a glass of madeira. As he was drinking it, he caught the sound of a man’s voice he thought he knew. It came from a small, inner room, raised a couple of steps above the outer one, divided from it only by a curtain half-way across. The voice was raised to address the waiter. Godfrey crossed the outer room so that he could see the people in the inner one. There were only two, a man and a woman, seated facing each other at the same table. The man had his back towards Godfrey, but the latter could see that he had curly chestnut hair, and that he wore fashionable attire. The lady was handsome, and quietly but well dressed. They were talking in too low a tone for Godfrey to hear the voice again, but he was keenly anxious to see the man’s face. In another minute their chairs moved ; Godfrey hastened out to the carriage, took his seat in one of its corners, partially drew the blinds, and told the servants to wait. The lady and gentleman came quickly out and walked away up the Strand: but yet Godfrey had not seen the man’s face, for many passengers were passing up and down the pavement at the time. He was slightly built, and of middle height, and there was nothing about him that he absolutely recognised : but Godfrey could not divest himself of the belief that the voice had been the soft voice of Mr. Cattermole. If so, he was now appearing in another disguise. Was the man an actor as well as a detective? Godfrey put his head out to speak to the servants. ‘ Did you see that lady and gentleman come out?” he asked. “She is tall ; dressed in black. Keep them in sight, and drive on gently.” The coachman followed them to the turning opposite Charing Cross, past St. Martin’s Church and the National Gallery, up the Haymarket as far as Charles Street, along that and to the right up CONNIE OOS (E@) m