The Argosy — page 297: what you’re looking at

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

274 The Story of Charles Strange. Returning to the sitting-room, pacing it to and fro in his perplexity for he knew not how long, he was looking at his watch to ascertain the time, when Lady Level came in. She had been in Lord Level’s sitting-room upstairs, she said, the one opposite his bed-chamber. He was somewhat calmer now. Mr. Ravensworth thought that he must now be going. ‘“T have been of no assistance to you, Lady Level; I do not see that I can be of any,” he observed. ‘‘ But should anything arise in which you think I can help you, send for me.” ‘What do you expect to arise? ”’ she hastily inquired. ““ Nay, I expect nothing.” “ Did Lord ” Lady Level suddenly stopped and turned her head. Just within the room stood two policemen. She rose with a startled movement, and shrank close to Mr. Ravensworth, crying out, as if for protection. ‘‘Arnold! Arnold!” ‘Do not agitate yourself,” he whispered. ‘‘What is it that you want?” he demanded, moving towards the men. ‘“We have come about this attack on Lord Level, sir,” replied one of them. ‘Who sent for you?” “Don’t know anything about that, sir. Our Superior ordered us here, and is coming on himself. We must examine the fastenings of this window, sir, by the lady’s leave.” They passed up the room, and Lady Level left it, followed by Mr. Ravensworth. Outside stood Deborah, aghast. ‘They have been in the kitchen this ten minutes, my lady,” she whispered, ‘‘ asking questions of us all—Mr. Sanders and Mrs. ‘Timms and me and cook, all separate. And now they are going round the house to search it, and see to the fastenings.” The men came out again and moved away, Deborah following slowly in their wake: she appeared to regard them with somewhat of the curiosity we give to a wild animal : but Mr. Ravensworth recalled her. Lady Level entered the room again and sat down by the fire. Mr. Ravensworth again observed that he must be going: he had barely time to walk to the station and catch the train. ‘* Arnold, if you go, and leave me with these men in the house, I will never forgive it !” she passionately uttered. He looked at her in surprise. ‘‘ I thought you wished for the pre- sence of the police. You said you should regard them as a protection.” “Did you send for them?” she breathlessly exclaimed. “ Certainly not.” She sank into a reverie ; a deep, unpleasant reverie that compressed her lips and contracted her brow. Suddenly she lifted her head. ‘He is my husband, after all, Arnold.” ‘To be sure he is.” ‘And therefore—and therefore—there had better be no investiga- tion.” CORMICLIOO KS. (E©) m