The Argosy — page 203: what you’re looking at

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

186 Mrs. Raven's Temptation, ‘Pay yourself well, hostess,” said the parting guest, in her deep, harsh tones. ‘I don’t grudge giving you another bit of wisdom. before I go,” she added as she took the change, “and I’ll set it up in rhyme, to pin it into your memory. Listen: it’s something so good, that you might repeat it to your vicar :— ‘‘They who wish a thought of ill Find it easy to fulfil ; When they wish to crush its fruit, Lo, the several seeds take root ; When with others’ sins they twine, Who need question, ‘ Mine or thine.’ ”’ Mrs. Raven turned and stepped from the porch before the verse was complete. The Worsfolds felt that she was mortally affronted, and did not wonder at it, seeing the mingling of cool impudence and angry defiance in the woman’s manner. She dropped the change into her bag, wished the host and hostess farewell, and strode away in turn. ‘They stood in the porch and watched. The strange woman overtook Mrs. Raven at the pond, just beyond the polled trees. She passed her, then turned round and stood still, straight in the lady’s path. Mrs. Raven also stood quite still: there was nothing else to do. To attempt to fly would be useless. By a strong effort of will she commanded all her dignity; all that hereditary consciousness of 1m- portance and power which had never failed her till within the last few days. Looking at her adversary, she met the cold black eyes gleam- ing, not like fires, but like knives—met them resolutely. She felt on the edge of the worst—of a worst which she could not fathom—and she rallied in desperation to confront it. The two women stood so, facing each other for a full minute. Mrs. Raven began to be aware of a horrible sensation of inability to withdraw her gaze. The handsome, repulsive face seemed magically to change beneath it. Elusive memories peeped through it, mocked and vanished. Was her brain giving way? The woman broke into a low metallic laugh. ‘““Go home, Mrs. Raven,” she said; ‘I have nothing to say to you. Go home, and look in the second drawer of your small toilet set. Take out the covering paper, the top paper, mind, and hold it over your candle—and take warning.” She passed swiftly to the cross roads, and was lost to sight. Mrs. Raven, gazing after her in consternation, pulled her senses together with a shiver. Stumbling along half blindly, she remembered that the last train had left Ravenstoke: where was the woman going ? Worsfold and his wife recollected that, too. But he suggested that ‘“‘she was one of the sort that could manage fine with a broom- stick and the moon.” (To be continued. ) (COUN (©) JOOKSEEO m . — ~_ . ee ee ee