The Argosy — page 106: what you’re looking at

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

Mrs. Raven's Temptation. ol ‘She called it a fact: and it was very grave indeed. It was very disagreeable indeed, and I must keep it to myself for that reason,” added candid Frank, ‘false though I am sure it is. There’s the ring.” “Ves, there’s the ring,” adrfiitted the officer, his tone a slighting one—“‘and it is in your possession now. So, however it got into hers, presuming that it did get into it, it ——” ‘Why, of course it got into it,” interrupted Frank. ‘However that may have been, it has found its way back to its lawful owner.” ‘‘Scarcely,” answered Frank. “It belongs to my elder brother, not tome. Other property may have passed out of the Court, which might not be readily missed—or so easy to recognise as this ring.” ‘¢And you can be quite sure—pardon the inquiry, but we find such strange mistakes do happen—that this ring could not have been about your own person when you entered Daylight Villa ?” “As sure as I can be of anything. I had never seen it since about the time of my father’s funeral.” ‘Well, what you wish, Mr. Raven, is that we should discover the antecedents of this woman. We will do our best. I presume there is no objection to our pushing our inquiries in any direction which seems advisable—down at your place, Ravenscourt, for ex- ample, whence the ring appears to have come?” ‘““My brother’s place, not mine,” corrected Frank. ‘‘No, I see no objection. Of course, I have not yet had much time to consider matters. JI came here straight from Daylight Villa, because there was not a moment to be lost.” “You are staying in Coltburn ?” “Yes, at my uncle’s—the Rev. James Connell. I may add,” said Frank, as he rose to leave, “‘ that this woman made another commu- nication to me, which I can verify or falsify on my return to his house. If I find it true, I shall think the rest all the more strange.” ‘Should we have anything special to communicate, you will get a note from us. Good-day, sir.” The detective bowed him out, and then went back to his silent colleague. | “What that woman told him is true,” said the oracular Cran. ‘I only wonder what it was.” “You don’t mean to say he knew it was true!” exclaimed the other, with genuine incredulity. ‘I don’t believe it, Cran. I never heard truth spoken at all if he was not speaking it when he said he was sure it was a lie.” | ‘You are rash, Jones,” corrected Mr. Cran. ‘Of course, he was sure; thought he was. People never do believe the truth: it’s not in human nature. I didn’t say the young fellow was telling a lie: he is not the sort to do it. Don’t jump to conclusions.” Jones pulled out his watch and looked at it. ‘‘ The train is off by this time,” he remarked, ‘‘and our man ought soon to be back.” ECORnNIClOOOKKS (GO