The Argosy — page 34: what you’re looking at

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

The White Witch. 19 ‘No, of course not, Dod; I’m sorry to have given you a fright ; but when I saw you rushing away like that, of course I took you for—for a thief,” said Godfrey, enraged at his mistake. ‘ Here’s something for the run you’ve given me. Good-night.” “But it’s my belief,” commented Dod, to the other servants, when he related this adventure with much stress upon young Mr. Mayne’s excited manner, “ that it must have been—champagne.” CHAPTER XXI. MRS. MAYNE’S NIGHT ALARM, WHEN Godfrey returned indoors, crestfallen and angry, he took a few minutes to recover himself before seeking Elspeth: who was in high good humour. Although not avery good dancer, her pretty looks had got her plenty of partners, and as her attachment to Godfrey only grew strong in the absence of any other excitement, she had enjoyed the evening unrestrainedly, pleasantly occupied with listening to the compliments of other young men—for Elspeth was the type of the innocent-eyed girl to whom men pay them. So she and Godfrey got on quite well together through the Lancers, which was her favourite dance, and then he set about the more difficult and less pleasing task of propitiating his future mother-in-law. Those wall-flowers see such a lot, between the intervals of scandal and refreshments. Mrs. Thornhill must have seen much more than was good for any of them, he felt sure, as she glared at him icily to see that he was perfectly sober and answered his civil commonplaces with tightly-drawn lips. But he had perfect command over himself now, and he kept his eyes stoically away from that one little flitting, floating figure that, whether dancing or walking, most attracted the eyes of all the room. He divided his time for the rest of the evening ‘between the frigid Mrs. Thornhill who, in the course of conversation, asked him if he had ever thought of joining the Band of Hope, and said she thought it was a very good thing, and Elspeth, who felt a glow of pride in him as the acknowledged best waltzer present. Then his father came up and said he was going to take Mary home and was Godfrey coming. _ “No, ll stay and see Mrs. Thornhill home, if she will allow me,” said the reformed young man dutifully. He was in the hall as Mary passed to the front-door on Ernest’s arm, stopping for him to arrange about her head the wrap, made of an Indian shawl bordered with gold fringe and marabout trimming, which made her look, Godfre thought, as he indulged his eyes with one long gaze, like a princess out of the Arabian Nights. Then he went back to reality and his duty, and in the bracing atmosphere of the vicar’s wife and daughters, easily kept his fevered thoughts in check. He drove back to the Vicarage with them in the hired cacenailnes they did not keep a close one: Eomichoo (E(©@) m