The Argosy — page 311: what you’re looking at

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

292 Featherston’s Story. “No, no,” dissented Mary Cardiac. ‘I did not put faith in it before, believing you were deceived by the uncertain light in the passage and were perhaps thinking of him, and that the dream after- wards was merely the result of your fright; nothing else. But now that you have had a second experience of it, I don’t doubt that you do see this spectre, and that the dream follows as a sequence to it, And I think,” she added, slowly and emphatically, “that it has come to warn you of some threatened harm.” “IT seem to see that it has,” murmured Lavinia. ‘ Why else should it come at all? I wish I could picture it to you half vividly enough: the reality of it and the horror. Mary, I am growing seriously afraid.” ‘Were I you, I should get away from the house,” said Madame Cardiac. ‘‘ Leave them to themselves.” “Tt is what I mean to do, Mary. I cannot remain in it, apart from this undefined fear—which of course may be only superstitious fancy,” hastily acknowledged Lavinia. ‘‘If things continue in the present state—and there is no prospect of their changing——” ‘“T should leave at once—as soon as they arrive home,” rather sharply interrupted Mary Cardiac, who seemed to like the aspect of what she had heard less and less. “As soon as I can make arrangements. They come home to- night ; I received a letter from Nancy this morning. They have been only at Pontipette all the time.” “Only at Pontipette !” | ‘“ Nancy says so. It did as well as any other place. Captain Fennel’s motive was to hide away from the lawyers we met at the table d’hote.”’ | ‘“‘ Have they left Sainteville, I wonder, those lawyers ?” “Ves,” said Lavinia. ‘‘On Friday I met Mr. Lockett when I was going to the Rue Lamartine, and he told me he was leaving for Calais with his friend on Saturday morning. It is rather remarkable,” she added, after a pause, “‘ that the first time I saw that appearance in the passage and dreamed the dream, should have been the eve of Mr. Fennel’s return here, and that it is the same again now.” ‘You must leave the house, Lavinia,” reiterated Madame Cardiac. ‘Tet me see,” considered Lavinia. ‘‘ April comes in this week. Next week will be Passion Week, preceding Easter. I will stay with them over Easter, and then leave.” Monsieur Jules Cardiac’s sock, in process of renovation, had been allowed to fall upon the mender’s lap. She slowly took it up again, speaking thoughtfully. ‘‘T should leave at once; before Easter. But you will see how he behaves, Lavinia. If not well; if he gives you any cause of annoyance ; come away there and then. We will take you in, mind, if you have not found a place to go to.” Lavinia thanked her, and re-arranged her bonnet preparatory to Gomichbooks.co