The Argosy — page 40: what you’re looking at

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

The White Witch. fhe 25 and sobs in the bed-room. Running in, she found Mrs. Mayne ina most nervous and excited condition, as if she had seen a ghost. Lydia asked what had frightened her ; and, to her horror, my wife asked if the house was haunted. Lydia enquired what she had seen, and was for calling to Hawkins and Mrs. Garner, and having the rooms searched. But her mistress refused: it might have been only her fancy, she said, and ordered Lydia to say nothing about it. The girl, however, was frightened, and spoke to me as soon as I came home.” ‘© T wonder what time the fright happened?” said Godfrey. ‘“¢ Tt was a little before one o’clock, Lydia says, that she went to the dressing-room. We got home not very long after one. It does not matter what time it happened, Godfrey.” ‘“‘Tf there was anything in it more than fancy, the time might be a guide to our finding it out.” “What, have you taken to believe in ghosts ?” ‘Ghosts are at the bottom of a good many things, father,” returned Godfrey, drily. ** Well, for goodness’ sake don’t persuade your mother she has seen a ghost, or I should have no peace at all,” said his father, as he turned to the library. ‘I shall get a book, for I can’t sleep.” Godfrey had lighted his candle and was crossing the hall towards the staircase when, glancing down the passage which led to the refec- ‘ tory, with the nervous alertness produced by his late investigations, he fancied he saw a perpendicular line of light, and that he felt at the same time a draught of air. He went down the passage and found, as he had expected, the refectory door ajar. “‘Confounded carelessness! Ina house where we seem to be most of us at the proper pitch for a fright, if the wind were to blow a door to in the middle of the night I think some of them would lose their wits altogether.” He was just going to shut it, when a new idea made him change his mind and enter the room. One of the windows was open. He went up to it, looked out, but could not see or hear any signs of an intrusion outside. There was a narrow flower-bed with nasturtiums and china-asters running along under the window. ‘Then he turned to examine the room, and on the floor just inside, the light of the candle plainly showed the print of a man’s dirty boot. There was a succes- sion of smaller marks as far as the door, from the shape of which it was evident that the intruder had advanced on tip-toe. Godfrey’s thoughts turned upon Mr. Dick. Outside the door the marks ceased. Godfrey looked carefully at the mat outside; but there was on it only one footprint and not any sign of boots having been rubbed on it. To the right was a house- maid’s cupboard under the staircase. Godfrey opened it, and was instantly blinded by something flung over his face ; he made a lunge forward, however, hitting his hand against the wall and his head against a shelf. There wasaclatter of pails and brooms, into which Gomichboo (E(@) m