The Argosy — page 105: what you’re looking at

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

go Mrs. Raven's Temptation. ‘Oh dear,” said Philip, ruefully, “now I’m in for it. Is the law any better for my services? Oh dear no. Am I very much better off for belonging to the law? Oh dear no. But I live in hope, which springs eternal in the human breast. a “If I were younger,” said Frank, hardly knowing what to make of either of them, “ I should like to be an engineer.’ ‘“Ah, yes; and that might have suited admirably,” admitted Philip. ‘‘Suppose you advertise as one, and get somebody else to do the work P” | ‘“‘T hate advertisements,” remarked Miss Agate, “ they minister to the prevailing sins of self-announcement and self-praise.” ““Can’t get on without advertisements,” said Philip. ‘‘ We all adver- tise in our own way.. The eye of the public must be caught.” ‘Catch it, then, by saying that one sells tea,” said Miss Agate, ‘‘ but leave others to find out that it is the best and the cheapest of teas. You are better than your own words, Mr. Connell.” ‘No, ’m_ not,” Philip answered. ‘I know I don’t go to all the philanthropic dinners, and defend—free, gratis, for nothing—all bellige- rent missionaries and charity-wardens. Young Rush does that, on my stair. But I don’t abstain from principle, only because I can’t be bothered. Don’t think me better than I am!” he persisted, with half ludicrous pathos. Miss Agate had not seemed to heed his later sentences. She had sat silently, and whenever she sat so, there came upon her face a curi- ous, listening expression. Frank had noticed it more than once during the evening : he had even caught the infection, and listened too, and wondered what he expected to hear. The house was not profoundly quiet. Overhead, doors opened and shut, and voices were heard : but people do not listen for these ordinary sounds. Frank had not sat long in that front parlour, before he had become aware that the back room, divided from it by folding doors, had an occupant of its own. Hehad heard a foot move to and fro—a heavy, slow foot, softly shod; a chair was drawn, and then came a sound, as if a large volume was suddenly closed. It was the last of these sounds which brought that listening expression to Gertrude Agate’s face. Just as Philip finished speaking, there was again a sound of a closing book, and then a musically toned bell gave a tiny tinkle. Miss Agate rose to her feet. Her guests rose, too; they were evidently disitiissedt She held out her hand to Frank, and her kind, eager eyes were fixed on him as she said: “Do not fear life. Fear nothing but to do wrong. Never mind seeming to fail; when bubbles burst, they fall like dew. ‘To do our best keeps us always busy ; and then we can’t be unhappy very long.” “We will come again, very soon, Miss Agate: as soon as I've seen these lawyers,” said Philip. ‘‘ And I'll bring Frank Raven with me.” The bell tinkled again. Miss Agate was already fingering a key COMN|EDOOKS COL