The Argosy — page 290: what you’re looking at

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The Story of Charles Strange. 267 ‘‘T have told you,” she answered. ‘‘ I was suddenly aroused from sleep, and then I heard Lord Level’s voice, calling ‘Blanche! Blanche!’ I went into his room, ran up to him, and he put out his arms and caught me to him. ‘Then I saw blood upon his night-shirt, and he told me he had been stabbed. Oh, how I shuddered! I cannot think of it now without feeling sick and ill, without almost fainting,” she added, a shiver running through her frame. Mr. Ravensworth’s opinion veered round again. ‘‘She do it— nonsense!” Lady Level continued. ©“ Tyon’t scream ; don’t scream, Blanche,’ he said. ‘I am not much hurt, and I will take care of you,’ and he held me to him as though I were ina vice. I thought he did not want me to alarm the house.” ‘Did he keep you there long ?” “Tt seemed long to me: I don’t suppose it was more than a couple of minutes. His hold gradually relaxed, and then I saw that he had fainted. Oh, the terror of that moment! all the more intense that it had been suppressed. I feared he might bleed to death. I opened the door, and cried and screamed, and called for the servants ; I rushed back to the room and rang the bell: and then I fell back in the easy chair, and could do no more.” “Well, this is a better explanation than you gave me at first,” said Mr. Ravensworth, encouragingly : and she had spoken more readily, without appearance of disguise. ‘‘ Then it was Lord Level’s calling to you that first aroused you ?” “No; oh, no; it wasnotthat. It —-—” she stopped in confusion. * At least—perhaps it was. It—I can’t say.” She had relapsed into evasion again, and once more Mr. Ravensworth was plunged in doubt. He leaned towards her. “IT am going to ask you a question, Lady Level, and you must of course answer it, or not, as you please. I can only repeat that any confidence you repose in me shall never be betrayed. Did Lord Level inflict this injury on himself ?” ‘No, that was impossible,” she freely answered; ‘it must have been done for him.” ‘‘ The weapon, I hear, was found in your room.” me ves.” “But how could it have come there ?” * As if I knew!” “Why do you object to the police being called in ?” “It was Lord Level who objected. When he recovered from his faintness, and heard them speaking of the police, he called Mr. Drewitt to him—who is master of the house under Lord Level—and charged him that nothing of the kind should be done. I would rather they were here,” she added after a pause. ‘I should feel safer. This morning I went to my husband and told him if he would not have in the police, the house searched, and the facts investigated, COMICMOOOKS.c© im