The Argosy — page 129: what you’re looking at

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

114 The Village Blacksmith.’ ‘IT don’t believe a word of Mark’s story. But I have no time to lose; I must go at once and hear what Vera has to say,” said the Archdeacon, as he disengaged himself from his wife, and hastily left the room. Vera was impatiently awaiting her father in his study, her flushed cheeks and flashing eyes showing plainly enough how indignant she was at her step-mother’s accusation, and the Archdeacon saw at a glance she was doing her utmost to control her anger. ‘‘T have to leave home very shortly, my dear Vera ; so tell me, as briefly as you can, what happened last night,” he said kindly. ‘The worst of it is, papa, I know so little myself; I went to bed and to sleep as usual, and I dreamt,” began Vera. ‘‘Never mind what you dreamt, my dear; this is no time to talk of dreams,” interrupted the Archdeacon. ‘* But that is the worst of it; I don’t know what was dream and what was reality,” said Vera in a puzzled tone. ‘What do you mean, Vera?” said the Archdeacon anxiously. ‘IT mean I must have been walking in my sleep last night, as I sometimes do.” ‘Walking in your sleep! ‘This is the first time I have heard of your doing such a thing.” ‘* But it is not the first time I have done it, as Norah can tell you. I often did as a child, and I have done it twice since mamma died: last night and once before. On that occasion I found myself down by the canal when I woke. Last night the report of the pistol woke me, and I found myself in your dressing-room with Mark Brown lying wounded at my feet and the pistol on the floor between us, just as you came home.” ‘* But how came you to be in my dressing-room ?” ‘Why, I dreamt someone was stealing Mrs. Tempest’s diamonds, for Reuben Foreman had been here to warn me that Mark had been seen again with the man who tried to rob me; so I went to bed nervous about them. I heard a noise in the dressing-room in my sleep, and I got up in my dream and went in to see who was there. I saw in my dream the jewel-case gone and the window open. I seized the revolver to fire after the thief, and at the same moment Mark seized it also. Between us it went off, and the report woke me. I was dreadfully frightened and ran screaming for Norah to the top of the stairs, where you caught me,” ‘It is a very extraordinary affair, most extraordinary,” said the Archdeacon, ‘‘T hope you are not going to suspect me, papa,” said Vera wearily, in.a tone of despair. ‘‘ Certainly not, my dear child ; I believe you implicitly ; but I am afraid we may have some trouble in inducing your step-mother to do so. However, I will tell her your account is quite satisfactory before I start. When I come back this afternoon we must discuss the matter CONNIE KS A(eo)