The Argosy — page 80: what you’re looking at

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

Christobel. 67 ing I happened to glance at her. She looked terrified before we had time to realise that there was any real cause for alarm ; and then again when Sir Edward mentioned that his poor friend had not been robbed, her expression changed suddenly to one of relief, which, if not alto- gether inexplicable, is to be explained only in one way ——” ‘And what is that ?” “TI am loth to believe evil,” said Mrs. Chisholm, suddenly angelic, “but I think—I ¢#zn that expression meant that the presence of the watch and other objects conveyed to that artful creature’s mind the pro- bability of this shocking death being regarded generally as an accident.” ‘¢ And was it not very natural that Miss Fane—that anybody should feel relief from such a supposition?” asked Geraldine, rather indig- nantly. | Mrs. Chisholm looked unutterable things. “I am willing to think all that is charitable,” she replied. ‘‘ But in some cases instinct is stronger than logic. JI have always fe/¢ that Miss Fane (as she calls herself) is an adventuress. Why should she have met Mr. Vandyken, evidently by appointment, at the Quarry, unless she had designs on him? She had been in America—she had probably known him be- fore. And, Geraldine, you are so unsuspicious, the notion had probably never entered your pure mind ; but it is quite, guzze clear that she has some secret understanding with Captain Verschoyle.” This shaft told. Geraldine had made one or two gestures of horri- fied protest during Mrs. Chisholm’s last speech; but at the final phrase of all, she shrank and was silent. Mrs. Chisholm having then achieved her object; having slandered, without giving full expression to her calumny; having planted a poisoned shaft and looked unconscious while doing it, folded her ‘sweet Geraldine ” in her arms, and tripped off to rest with a heart unutterably lightened. The whole of the next day she employed in hints and innuendoes, only sparing her remarks to Godfrey, who, she felt, might be unplea- santly indignant about them. And she had managed to weave a very subtle net of suspicion round the unconscious Christobel, when—unfor- tunately, after so much trouble—Sir Edward suddenly burst for a second time, like a bombshell on the Hall, and brought a fresh supply of news, which, while greatly increasing the mystery of recent occurrences, made them much more difficult, even for Mrs. Chisholm, to fathom. (Zo be concluded.) COMICOOOlKS.EO am