The Argosy — page 274: what you’re looking at

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

Mrs. Raven’s Tempianon. 255 gentlemen, and having done her duty would have retired in silence, but that Evelyn called her, just as she had her hand upon the door. “Davies !” she said, in that musically metallic voice which Frank could not endure, “ was one Eldred Sloam among your old friends at Ravenstoke? And was he a good man, or a bad one?” The woman’s short answer was inaudible. It was only one word, but whether it was “yes” or “no,” or but some short exclamation, nobody could tell. She left the room hurriedly. ‘Evelyn, you should not tease Mary. She e Miss Agate’s reproof was cut off by the sound of a heavy fall outside. They ran to the rescue. Mary Davies had slipped her foot on the kitchen stairs, and was below inthe corner. But when Philip picked her up, it was quite clear that no limbs were broken, or even sprained. She declared she was not hurt, not at all. Her face was very white, and her hands shook violently. “It was only ‘shock,’” she said. She would just keep quiet for a bit, if the ladies would excuse her. So they waited on themselves at supper, and there was little special conversation. Evelyn laughed at Miss Agate’s hint that her ill-timed remark, being spoken before company, might have disconcerted Davies and caused her to lose her footing. This especially amused Evelyn. ‘The very idea, Aunt Gertrude ! As if people, servants especially, could be so easily put out!” “Don’t you love that sweet young woman dearly, cousin mine?” asked Philip, as he passed his arm through Frank’s, for the walk homewards. ‘‘ And what is the gift you are going to send to your mother, if I may ask?” “J mean to get that beautiful new edition of Mr. Agate’s transla- tion of the Latin hymns,” readily answered Frank. ‘I think my mother will be pleased with that.” And in his own mind Frank added a few words.—“ Such a gift will show her that I am neither hardened nor indifferent, though I do not go home. I never shall go, I think. It is hard to know there’s no love for you anywhere in this wide world.” CHAPTER XV. THE VICAR’S PUZZLE. THE next morning was hot and sultry. Frank arrived at the station in very good time, and so had to wait alone in its closeness and dust. He almost thought that Evelyn meant to lose her train. But no, just at the last moment the little party appeared, Evelyn first, very fresh and trim, Miss Agate toiling behind, looking a little nervous, like a person who has been worried by keeping others up to a necessary mark. She was burdened by sundry hand-bags and COMMICMOOOKS.C©