The Argosy — page 101: what you’re looking at

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

SO Mrs. Raven's Temptation. him with a sense of horror so ghastly as this—the sight, the touch of that ring, with its homely, happy memories. ‘‘ How did this come here ?” he gasped. ‘ How should I know?” the woman returned; and she was bend- ing forward to look at the ring as curiously as he. ‘“‘I was but de- scribing what I saw with the second sight. Do you know the ring ? It seems to be the one I have just seen on the late Squire Raven’s finger.” ‘‘VYes,” said Frank, almost reluctantly, ‘‘it is the one my father always wore.” He pressed his hand upon his perplexed brow. What could the mystery be? He knew that Leonard had had charge of it since his father’s death, but where it had been kept he did not know. Leonard had placed it on his own finger, as of right; but it was too large, it fell off, and so he did not wear it. “Don’t you believe me now? And won’t you heed me?” she demanded. “Tt only makes it all the more strange—more mysterious,” he an- swered ; ‘‘it does not follow that it is more truthful. Who are you? Where do you come from ?” “Is not my message enough?” she asked. ‘‘What need have you to think of the messenger ?” “The greatest need,” he replied promptly. ‘‘If I could find out who you are, I might discover how you get your knowledge of our affairs. For when you tried to penetrate farther than external facts with me, you failed. You were quite vo in your guess about my knowing any secret.” “As you please. I was not wrong ‘dei E. A.,” she added quickly. ‘‘ Your father beckons to her. He wants you to "Stand side by side—hand in hand. If you do not ‘‘'What has my father to do with it?” ‘“‘T cannot say. Ifyou ‘You have just said he was not my father.” “Tf you do not comply with his wishes, there will be trouble and scandal and disgrace; and perhaps wrong will triumph and right go to the wall. If you do, all wiil be peace and quietness—peace and quietness.” ‘Good can never come by doing harm,” said Frank. “I judge of your message by what it would enjoin on me. A man can never do a meaner thing than marry a woman he does not love.” “You can but obey.” “Never,” said Frank, calmly. ‘‘To him, my dead father, I could only say what I should have said to my father living—that not even for his sake could I play the traitor to my own heart—my own soul.” The next moment he felt angry with himself for speaking so under such circumstances, and to such a woman as this must be. He took out his purse. COPMICMDOO KS CON