The Argosy, Vol. 37

The White Witch, Chapter XVI: An Artist's Sketch-Book This serialized Victorian narrative concerns Godfrey Mayne and Mary Dixon in an English church. When Sir William Hunt arrives seeking a mysterious singer whose voice he recognizes, Godfrey locks Mary in the vestry to hide her from him, believing she faces danger. Sir William becomes suspicious, insisting the trained voice cannot belong to the village girl who departed. After Sir William leaves, Godfrey discovers Mary has fainted inside; reviving her, he impulsively kisses her, resolving to protect her. Mary reports seeing someone peer through the vestry window—apparently Sir William—though Godfrey insists this impossible. Their emotional connection deepens despite her fear. The chapter concludes with Godfrey examining the churchyard for evidence of an actual intruder, finding suspicious marks beneath the vestry window suggesting someone recently climbed there. The narrative blends domestic Gothic elements with romantic tension, centering on mysterious connections between the characters and an unrevealed past crime.