The Argosy — page 190: what you’re looking at

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

Mrs. Raven’s Temptation. ~ 173 We can act upon what we hear: but what we overhear may paralyse us. We can scarcely act upon a knowledge we ought not to have possessed. How were the demand and the supply to be brought together ? She had Miss Agate’s address. She had seen it on the note the lawyer had shown her, and there was no fear of her forgetting it. But it was impossible to write to a stranger, Inquiring if any member of her family wished to become a lady’s companion. Such a course would be certainly both impertinent and suspicious, sure to defeat its own ends. It was equally impossible to communicate with Miss Agate through the solicitors. No: there was no direct path to attain her wish. There was nothing to be done, save write a tempting advertisement and send it to the newspapers. If Evelyn Agate really wished for such a situa- tion, she would be sure to search them. And Mrs. Raven proceeded to draw one up. She tried to make it as pleasant as possible. She lingered over its composition almost lovingly, touching and re-touching ‘again and again. ‘The result stood thus. ‘Wanted, by a lady of position, having no daughters, a young lady to act as companion. A beautiful country home and a liberal salary are offered, and she will be treated with motherly kindness and consideration.” And applications_were requested to be.addressed to the chief library in the neighbouring county town, Standchester. Mrs. Raven wrote six copies of this before she went to bed— each to be forwarded to an eligible London newspaper. CHAPTER XI. THE LODGER AT THE PITCHFORK. Mrs. RAVEN made no concealment of her advertisement. She rang for her maid, and gave the letters into her keeping, to be carried to the letter-rack, against the postman brought his bag on the Monday morning. Thus the whole household had the opportunity of seeing the wait- ing letters, and they made their comments. “i Six newspapers !” exclaimed Mrs. Sims, the cise ollie as she sat at the breakfast-table of the upper servants on this same Monday morning. ‘ What can the mistress have to say to six newspapers? ” ‘Charity Hale knows,” said one of the others, noticing the sly _ pursing of the old woman’s thin lips. ‘‘ Charity Hale knows every- thing—only she never tells.” “A still tongue makes a wise head,” croaked Charity. “ Mrs. Raven may be advertising for a furnished. house at a water- Connicloooks (SO)