The Argosy — page 117: what you’re looking at

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

102 The Story of Charles Strange. lying open before her eyes, she would have deemed it the height of dishonour to read a word of. ‘This letter from the wife of their late concierge, containing news of her own lost box was a different matter. But though the address to Lord Level was undoubtedly in the handwriting of Madame Sauvage, the inside was not. SBlanche strained her eyes over it. ‘“‘T arrive to-day at Paris, and find you departed for England with your wife and servants. I come straight on from Pisa without halting, to inform you of a discovery we have made; there was no time to write. As I am so near, it is well to use the opportunity to pay a short visit to Marshdale to see the child, and I start this evening for it; you can join me there. Pardon the trouble I give you. NINA.” With her face flaming, with trembling hands, and shortened breath, Lady Level gathered in the words and their meaning. Nina! It was the Italian girl, the base woman who had troubled before her peace of mind, and who must have got Madame Sauvage to address the letter. Evidently she did not mean, the shameless syren, to let Lord Level be at rest. And—and—and what was the meaning of that allusion about “‘ the child ?” Leaving the letter precisely as she had found it, under the sheet of parchment, Lady Level quitted the room and turned the key in the door again. Not for very shame, now that this shameful secret had been revealed to her, would she let her husband know that she had entered. Had she found only what she sought, she would have said openly to him on his return: ‘‘ Archibald, I went in for Madame Sauvage’s note, and I found it. I hope you don’t mind—we were anxious about the box.” But somehow her eyes were now opened to the fact that she had been guilty of a dishonourable action, one that could not be excused or justified. Had he not locked his door against intruders—herself as well as others ? Passing into the front room, where the table was now being laid for luncheon, which they took at one o’clock, she drew a chair near the fire, mechanically watching Sanders as he placed the dishes on the table, in reality seeing nothing ; her mind was in a tumult, very painful and rebellious. Timms came stealing in. How any lady could be so indifferent as her lady when a box of beautiful clothes was at stake, Timms could not understand : sitting quietly there over the fire, and never coming back to set a body’s mind at rest with yes or no. “T beg pardon for intruding,” began Timms, with deprecation, ‘but did your ladyship find Madame Sauvage’s letter ?” “No,” curtly replied Lady Level. ‘‘I daresay the box is lost. Not much matter if it is.” Timms withdrew, lifting her hands in condemning displeasure ECORNIELIOO; KS, (EO) m