The Argosy — page 117: what you’re looking at

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

102 The Mystery of Allan Grale. ‘On that evening,” he related, ‘‘I was in the shop alone, as I am now. While I was serving some children with pennyworths of liquo- rice, a gentleman walked in. He was looking so pale and ill that I got rid of the youngsters in a giffy, thinking he must want medical assistance of some kind. Instead of this he asked for a considerable quantity of a certain powerful poison used in photography. Now I can assure you that he was not at all the person for whom I was likely to waive the precautions we should always take before selling such things.” “Then what did you do ?” asked Charles. ‘‘Enquired his name and address, and whether he had any refer- ences,” returned the other, promptly. ‘‘ And I knew exactly what would happen next. He hesitated, said he was quite a stranger in the place, and could mention no references which would be worth any- thing. And then, while he looked at me and I at him, I conclude he saw that he would not get served with what he wanted; for he went on to say that he would not take the chemicals after all, as he might not be able to use them until he reached some place where he could settle down. And so, saying he was sorry to have troubled me, he turned and walked out of the shop. After he left, I put that mark ‘S’ in the ledger, in case I should hear of some tragedy, and might have a piece of evidence worth offering,” continued Acland. “TI felt absolutely certain that unfortunate applicant intended to make away with himself.” ‘* But what has this to do with young Grale ?” questioned Charles. “Tl tell you. This gentleman’s face had seemed familiar to me, and Icould not get it out of my mind. It was somehow familiar, and yet not familiar. In the middle of the night I woke up suddenly, and the face flashed into my memory, and I saw, or thought I saw, that it was Allan Grale’s.” « Allan Grale’s !” echoed Charles. ‘““T was not sure; I never have been sure; and the more I dwell upon it the less certainty I feel. One minute I say to myself ‘ It was Grale’s face, but disguised ;’ the next minute I say ‘ No, it was not Grale’s, but a face bearing a curious likeness to his.’ Anyway, had I heard within twenty-four hours of that evening visit here that young Mr. Grale had destroyed himself, it would have given meno surprise.” ‘ But don’t you think it strange that you should not have known Grale out-and-out, if it was he?” questioned Charles. ‘Not so strange. It issome years, you know, since I left Dering, and he must have altered a good deal. I have said his face was dis- cuised, but I am not sure of that; it may have been only its own natural alteration.” , ‘Which evening do you say this was, Mark p—what date ?” —“T think it was Wednesday, the twenty-first of October ; but it may have been Tuesday the twentieth,” replied Acland. ‘“ Jones; that’s my coadjutor in the shop here—or I suppose I ought to say that I am © CONIC MOOOLKS (E©) ¥: