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

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

Faithful unto Death. 27 TE Weeks and months went by. David Malcolm was frequently at our house, and it was quite an open secret that he came for my sake. Once, and once only, he renewed his offer to me. I told him that I was still bound to Lionel Payne; for so indeed [I considered myself to be. But for that—how gladly would I have married David! I began to grow pale and thin. Every day almost I was in dread of receiving a letter from Lionel reminding me of my vow and asking me to be his wife. But no such letter came; business people heard from him occasionally, but that was all. He was very busy in Sweden, and his work was evidently appreciated, for his salary, we heard, had been raised, and he had now seven hundred a year. ‘“My dear, how long is our probation to last?” David Malcolm said to me one day when we were alone. ‘‘Is it that which is wearing you out, Gracie? Oh, my darling, if you would but come to me and let me comfort you!” And all the answer I could make him was to burst into tears. One night in June, when the nights are at the shortest and the days at the longest, a strange thing happened to me. Aunt Dinah was ill. I had wished to sit up with her, proposing to snatch a bit of sleep in the easy chair in her room; but aunt would not hear of it. She was not so ill as all that, she said, and could call to me if she wanted anything in the night, or ring up Rachel. It was a bright and beautiful night. Ata quarter to twelve, when I entered my bedroom after lingering with Aunt Di, the large moon was shining in the clear sky. I did not undress. Sitting down ina low chair by the bedside, and leaning my head upon the pillow, I determined to keep awake in case Aunt Di should call. Instead of which, I fell asleep almost immediately. I had quite lost consciousness, when I woke with a start at some noise, real or fancied, that sounded exactly like a knock at the front-door. Sitting up, I listened. There was no further knock, but it seemed to me that the door opened and that someone came into the hall. What could it mean ? What did it mean? The door must have been locked as usual, or ought to have been. Everyone was in bed. I had been the last up. Tom was gone and the servants were gone; I had stayed after them with Aunt Di. Margaret was out ona visit. It was not possible, I told myself, that anyone had come in. But now, as I listened, I thought I heard faint, slow footsteps ascending the stairs. ‘Terror seized upon me. My ideas flew to robbers ; perhaps naturally enough. Stealing across the carpet to my door, I noiselessly drew it open and peeped out. My door was nearly at the end of a rather long corridor, close to the large end window, before which the white blind was drawn COnniclbooks (CO