The Island School — page 26: what you’re looking at

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

DISAPPEARANCE OF ONE extracrdinary vocal powers. The sound came from the direction of the wood. The young people looked at each other, and Jim thrust his hand into the pocket where he had pisced the revolver. And now another sound was heard, a roaring of one who is overcome with grief, a magnified form of blubbering, and Romeo came tumbling down from the direction of the wood, with his eyes out of his head, and exhibiting a sensible stiffening of his wool. “ Loramassy on-all ob us!” he cried. ‘“ Missus done for. She’bcut as dead as a stone !” A cry of alarm burst from the lips of Eveline; but Jim motioned for her to restrain her emotion for the moment. He had a better idea of the true nature of such a communication from Romeo. ‘Show me where she is,’ he said. ‘Eveline, I think you had better come too. Now,” he added, sternly, to Romeo, as they moved upwards towards the wood, “tell me exactly what has happened.” “Nuffin happen dat-I-see, sar,’ replied Romeo, “but missus go inter de wood and me foller at a ’speckful distance, so dat I lose sight ob her. Den me see a big fly a-brushing him wings on de trunk ob a tree, and me go for to squash him, when jes’ as I was on de p’int ob gibbing him a bang, me hear a scream, and I knowed de voice ob missus.” Romeo stopped to wipe the perspiration from off his brow. Jim impatiently bade him move quicker, and finish his story. ‘“‘ Hearin’ de voice,” resumed Romeo, “ me stopped to deflect on what was de matter, and de seclusion me come to was dat suffin’ had scared her. Den me went on to de spot, and dere she lay dead as a stone, and deader.” *¢ And what did you do then ?” “ Nufin’, but runto you and Miss Eveline with in- flamation ob de capastafer.” “Show me exactly where she is,” said Jim, angrily. “Mrs. Farrell is of a nervous, sensitive disposition, and it may be nothing but a simple fright, followed by fainting.” “You think not, Jim,’ murmured Eveline, trem- bling. She was more concerned for her mother than she would have been on her own behalf. “ Don’t worry, Evey,” said Jim, softly. “Here de spot!” cried Romeo; “and loramassy, if ' INissus ain’t acomin’ roun’,!” Mrs. Farrell had indeed struggled into a sitting position, not being after all quite sodead as Romeo announced her tobe, She wasstaring wildly about her, On seeing Jim Gordon she uttered a cry of delight. “Oh, Iam so glad you have come,” she said, tear- fully ; “ and Eveline, too. I have ee such a scare, Where is that abominable Romeo ?” Romeo, who had taken refuge behind a tree, OF THE UNDER-MASTERS. 19 evidently conscious that he had been remiss in his duties, humbly announced his presence. “You wretched creature!” cried Mrs. Farrell. “What do you mean by deserting me as you did ?” “Me had a attack ob fainting, too, missus,” said Romeo, in whom the truth did not dwell, ‘“ and de moment me come roun’I foller ue and—and sabe your life.” Mrs. Farrell aimed a blow at him with her-sun- shade, which he easily dodged. dim, anxious to get at the cause of the commotion, asked “Mrs. Farrell what had originally alarmed her. “1 was walking quietly along,” she said, “looking for ferns, when I came to some bushes—there is the clump—and as I got near it a face popped out.” “A face ?” exclaimed Eveline. “A face, my dear, not exactly ugly, but still a hideous face, that glared at me with the malevolence of a tiger. Then I screamed, and fainted away.” “And you know nothing more, mamma?” same Eveline. “ Nothing more, my child,” was the answer, “and I think it is quite enough.” Jim walked over to the bushes, a very: thick group of some flowering shrub. The ground around was dry, but under the bushes, in the thick of the croup, the soil was moist and covered with rotting leaves. On his inspecting it, signs of recent footsteps were visible, and close to where Mrs. Farrell had seen the face were two indentations, bowl-shaped, which might reasonably be assumed to have been made by a kneeling man. He had a strong aversion to telling a lie, but in this case he thought it advisable to conceal the truth. Returning to the group, Jim calmly gave his opinion that Mrs. Farrell must have been victimised by a vision—“ created by her vivid imagination.” “Were you thinking of anything particular at the time P” he inquired. “Well, yes, I was,” said Mrs. Farrell. ‘“ My mind was dwelling on a story [have recently been reading, about Spanish brigands M “Ah!” said Jim, gaily, “that accounts for it. But you had better give up fern-hunting for to-day, at least, and come’ back with us.” “‘T shall sketch no more to-day,” said Eveline, looking steadily at Jim. “I have the outline done, and can finish the_rest at home.” There was no anxiety on the part of any there to remain, and they left the wood. Jim Gordon kept his hand carelessly in his- pocket, where it rested on the handle of the revolver with which Mr, Nap Farrell had entrusted him. Mrs. Farrell showed she was in a hurry to get out of the wood by nervously hurrying on. comicbooks.com