The Argosy — page 191: what you’re looking at

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

174 The Mystery of Allan Grale. ‘“T’ll come for it in a day or two,” he said to himself. ‘It will be easy saying then that I looked in at Nurse Kate’s, and finding it still there, brought it away to save the old woman the trouble.” He gave a low bitter laugh as he went on. He knew well enough that nothing but the exaggerated torment and trouble weighing down his own mind could make him see fears on every hand, convert trifling molehills into mountains, and be ready to do or say any earthly es that might serve as a lea of excuse to disarm suspicion. He was in the very act of leaping back into the highway, when a gig rattled up, taking Doctor Palmer to the Court. It all happened so quickly that there was no time for salutation, scarcely for recogni- tion. But Dr. Palmer said to the groom, “ Why! isn’t that young Grale ?” And the groom replied, ‘‘ Yes, sir, it was.” Edgar Vivian was just descending from stowing Allan’s box safely away in his own sanctum, when the doctor arrived at the Court. ‘The invalid had not regained consciousness. As Dr. Palmer bent over him, he suddenly opened his eyes, looked the doctor full in the face, and spoke in a muttered tone: ‘Why ! isn’t that young Grale ?” This echo of almost the last words he himself had used, naturally startled Dr. Palmer. Could there be anything, then, in that theory of thought-reading, which he was rather inclined to ndicule ? and was it possible that a mind, made vacant by disease or circumstance, might reflect any idea that flitted before it—just as a blank pane of glass will, under some conditions, serve as a mirror? ‘This was no time for theory, but he stored the fact in his memory. Mrs. Vivian, not catching his words, asked what they were. The upper servant in attendance replied simply, ‘‘ No sense at all, ma’am, just wandering.” And he had at once relapsed into unconsciousness again. Edgar followed his old friend from the sick room. ‘Is the case serious, Doctor ?” he questioned. “There is no immediate danger,” was the reply. ‘‘ I don’t think anything need be apprehended for a few days.” “A few days!” echoed Edgar. He had not allowed himself to think of any danger so imminent as that. Dr. Palmer shook his head. ‘The General has an tinfasaaealie temperament for this kind of attack,” he said. ‘‘ He is an excitable, irascible man, and the least agitation will suffice to bring on another fit.” They found Webster at his horse’s head, preparing to drive back to the Knight’s Arms. ‘‘ Did the General seem at all annoyed when he was at your house this morning ?” asked the medical man. Webster touched his hat. ‘‘ My wife said he was absent like, troubled, but I noticed nothing myself, sir,” he answered. ‘“ He was alone ?” questioned the Doctor again. COU (@) NOOKS (E(©) m