The Argosy — page 286: what you’re looking at

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

The Story of Charles Strange. 263 ‘Pretty well, sir, for that. No one sleeps near him but my lady. Her room opens from his.” “Could he have done it himself, Sanders?” struck in Major Carlen. ‘ He has been light-headed from fever.” ‘Just at the first moment the same question occurred to me, Sir ; but we soon saw that it was not at all likely. The fever had abated, my lord was quite collected, and the stab in the arm could not have been done by himself.” ‘‘Was any instrument found ?” ‘Ves, sir: a clasp-knife with a small, sharp blade. It was found on the floor of my lady’s room.” An ominous silence ensued. “ Are the stabs dangerous ?” inquired Mr. Ravensworth. “Tt is thought they are only slight, sir. The danger will be if they bring back the fever. His lordship will not have a doctor called in 9 ‘Not have a doctor called in !” ‘He forbids it absolutely, sir. When we reached his room, in answer to my lady’s cries, he had fainted ; but he soon recovered, and hearing Mr. Edwards speak of the doctor, he refused to have him sent for.” “You ought to have sent, all the same,” imperiously spoke Mr. Ravensworth. Sanders smiled. ‘‘ Ah, sir, but my lord’s will is law.” Mr. Ravensworth turned to a side-table. He wrote a rapid word to Lady Level, promising to be with her that evening, gave it to Sanders, and bade him make the best of his way back to Marshdale. Certain business of importance was detaining him in town for the day. “When you get down there, Ravensworth, you won’t say that I wouldn’t go, you know,” said the Major. ‘Say I couldn’t.” * What excuse can I make for you ?” “Any excuse that comes uppermost. Say I’m in bed with gout. I have charged Sanders to hold his tongue.” The day had quite passed before Mr. Ravensworth was able to start on his journey. It was dark when he reached Upper Marsh- dale. There he found Sanders and the solitary fly. “Is Lord Level better ?” was his first question. “A little better this evening, sir, I believe; but he has again been off his head with fever, and Dr. Macferraty had, after all, to be called in,” replied the man. ‘“* My lady is pretty nearly beside herself too.” ‘Have the police been called in yet?” ‘“No, sir; no chance of it; my lord and my lady won’t have it done.” ‘‘ It appears to be an old-fashioned place, Sanders,” remarked Mr. Ravensworth, when they had reached the house. ‘It’s the most awkward turn-about place inside, sir, you ever saw F GONG OOO ‘S (S(O) mn