The Argosy, Vol. 37

# Catalog Description

The White Witch (Chapter VII: "A Revelation"), by an unnamed author, appears in this March 1884 issue. This domestic drama concerns Godfrey Mayne, who has overheard a secret conversation between his stepmother and her daughter Mary Dixon, a young woman recently welcomed into their home. Suspecting Mary harbors a dangerous secret, Godfrey grows suspicious of her bright, satirical manner. After an awkward exchange, Mary explains her apparent coldness toward him as defensive pride. She asks him to accompany her to gather wildflowers for a crewel-work design. During this twilight outing, as they sit among roses and honeysuckle, Mary confesses under gentle questioning that she is dying—a revelation that shocks Godfrey into sudden tenderness and pity. The narrative captures the tension between Mary's seemingly innocent femininity and the dark secret suggested by her mysterious conversations.