The Argosy — page 265: what you’re looking at

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

2406 Mrs. Raven’s Temptation. Raven’s face go ghastly white, and her lips begin to tremble. think that must be an awful woman.’ “Why, what could she have said to the mistress!” exclaimed Janet Mackay, breaking the silence which the news had caused. ‘That is what must have turned her queer.” ‘‘ Ah, the gentry pretend not to believe in these things,” commented Sims ; ‘‘ but they do believe in ’em when they are brought near.” Charity Hale came back to her seat. Nobody paid any heed to her, or they might have noticed the slightly tighter pursing of her thin lips, which in Charity was always a sign of triumph. Charity had been upstairs to pay Mrs. Raven a visit. She had found the boudoir lights dimly burning, the door communicating with the bed-room open, and the bed-room in semi-darkness. “Tm afraid you’re ill, madam,” she said, standing in the doorway. ‘Janet seemed to think you were worried, looking for samet Hing you could not find. Might I be able to help you ?” | ‘No, no; it is nothing, Charity,” said Mrs. Raven faintly. **T hope I haven’t put anything wrong,” observed Charity. ‘‘ Janet said you were asking if I’d been in the drawing-room to-day. I only went there when you told me, madam, to get. that paper for the drawers. I had to open a new packet of that paper—I hope I wasn’t wrong in that ?” ‘Oh, no, Charity, quite right,” said Mrs. Raven. ‘I only fancied —well—I mean I only thought something had got out of its place.” “Eh! I do hate things getting lost,” said Charity. ‘It makes one feel as if there was a thief about the house. And if there’s a thief to the fore, ‘steal he will, though it be things of no value to any but their owner.’ Charity’s tone was civil—nay, almost abject. But Mrs. Raven writhed on her couch in the dark. ‘“‘ Charity,” she cried, “‘ why should you grow suspicious over every trifle? Nothing has been lost. I am very ill and sorrowful, Charity. I do not wish to conceal that from you—TI couldn’t, perhaps, if I would ; but you must not think I am blaming you, or anybody else. One may feel sad and distressed sometimes, almost causelessly.” “ T’m afraid your walk this evening was too much for you, madam,” said the old woman, in quite another tone. ‘Perhaps it was,” sighed Mrs. Raven, catching at the excuse. “Tm sorry if [ve disturbed you, madam. I’ve scarcely ever heard you so faint-like. There’s something in your voice that ’minds me of the time after Master Frank was born, and I nursed ye, and ye were too sick-like to even take any pride in the baby. You and old Charity have been through a good deal together.——-Well, good- night, madam,” added Charity, after a lengthened silence. ‘I hope you'll sleep well, and be better in the morning.” Mrs. Raven was still lying as Charity had left her, when Leonard, Gomichookssco