The Argosy — page 200: what you’re looking at

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

Mrs. Raven's Temptation. 183 fesses to see the past, and to foretell the future—and she declares that there is evil in the air at Ravenstoke.” Mrs. Raven had looked round in surprise. ‘Why, who is she P— What can she be doing at the Pitchfork ?” “'That’s what I should like to know,” said Charity. ‘‘ She talks of ghosts, too. She told the people there that the figure of a tall man, with a red mark on his neck, walks at night along the Warren Road, and looks back to shake his fist at the Court here. Jam glad Mr. Frank is away, madam: though I dare be bound he’d only laugh at it, and call.it rubbish. I knew a lady who could never bear to hear the wind in the ivy when her husband was away from home. The meaning of things is in the ear that hears them.” Mrs. Raven sat down in the chair that was drawn up close behind her, a whole world of thought revolving in her brain. A curious. dread of this strange woman had seized upon her mind. What did she know? — for what purpose had she come to Ravenstoke > Charity saw her mistress’s perplexity. “Don’t you take it to heart, madam,” she cried. “ I’d not have told you, but that I thought you’d be above caring for it. But it’s little wonder you are nervous just now, with the trouble there’s been in the house.” ‘‘T’m not taking it to heart, Charity: what do you mean? But I am vexed. ‘These people ought not to be allowed to say such things. ‘They are wicked and cruel.” “No, they ought not,” assented Charity, quite readily. ‘For a ghost is seldom a credit to a gentleman’s house, though it may be interesting to strangers round about it. Dear, dear, how the dust is getting into these little drawers!” broke off Charity, in a different tone, peeping into the contents of a Duchesse toilet-table. ‘‘ We must spread paper on the top of them: they won’t be opened again for a long while,” said Mrs. Raven, wearily. “They will have to be very small sheets of paper,” remarked Charity ; ‘‘and they always get caught in the backs of the drawers.” “Go downstairs and get some of my thick note-paper with the coloured monogram on it,” directed her mistress, after a moment’s thought. “It is so thick that it will stay as we put it. You will find it in the bottom drawer of the cabinet in the back drawing-room.” Charity obeyed. She was not gone three minutes ; for though she was a little lame, and at times walked heavily, she was often wonder- fully active for a woman of her years. She handed the packet to Mrs. Raven. | “Ts that nght, madam? I found it where you told me.” And then they busied themselves with the shaking out, assorting, and refolding of the delicate laces, Charity passing them on to her mistress, who packed them away and covered them up with her own hands. ‘‘T hope none of our servants have been to see this fortune-teller,” Conniclooolks (SO)