The Argosy — page 356: what you’re looking at

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

Lady Grace. 333 Lady Grace returned home. She was entering the drawing-room, when the butler, Moore, came suddenly out of it to meet her, and in a very unbutler-like way closed the door in her face to prevent her entrance. His usually florid complexion had turned yellow, and he spoke in a flurry, as if not weighing his words. ‘Oh, my lady—not in there, please.” Lady Grace wondered if Moore had been visiting the decanters. “Open the door,” she calmly said. ‘Is the Dean there still ? ” But Moore held the handle firmly. ‘I beg your pardon, my lady, you must not goin.” She was alarmed now: she saw the man’s agitation. ‘ My lady, the Dean is taken ill,” continued Moore, ‘‘ that’s the truth. I thought your ladyship had best not see him.” She waved him aside in her wilful manner: he would have had to give way. But at that moment the door was opened from within and Cyras came out. He had just got back from Oxford, and it was his arrival which had brought about the discovery that something was amiss with the Dean. ‘““T am going for a doctor, mamma,” said Cyras, and leaped away. Lady Grace went in, and Moore followed her. Leaning back in a low easy chair, almost at full length, his head resting on the back of it, lay the Dean. Huis face was white, his mouth was open, but his eyes were closed, as if ina calm sleep. Never- theless, there was that in his face which struck terror to the heart of his wife. She touched the faithful old servant on the arm and cried aloud. “Yes, my lady,” he whispered, believing that she saw as well as pe= TY fear it is death.” Lady Grace knelt down, and clasped her hands round her husband. In that moment of distress, what cared she who was present? She called him by endearing names, she kissed his face, she besought him to speak to her. But there was no answering response, and con- viction told her that there never would be again. Never in this world. Cyras came back with a doctor; curiously enough, it was Sir William Chant. Sir William had been quietly walking home from a whist party at a friend’s house, when Cyras met him. A small mercy this, for Sir William was able to testify to the cause of death, thereby avoiding an inquest. The Dean had died from disease of the heart, brought on by the evening’s excitement. And the world, next day, was busy with the news that the Very Reverend Ryle Baumgarten had been gathered to his fathers, and that the rich Deanery of Denham, richer in those days than in these, was in the clerical market. ( To be continued. ) conniclbooolks (SO