The Argosy — page 108: what you’re looking at

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

Mrs. Raven’s Temptation. 93 “JT thought that was the matter in hand,” she said directly. “T felt quite certain that the others saw her when they went to the Cave; it was only likely you would be interested and go in your turn.” “Tt cannot be said that I went out of mere interest,’ Frank answered, gravely. ‘I can scarcely tell you why I went, Miss Cleare, without interfering with other people's secrets. But I did go; and I found a very strange woman, and heard a very strange story, and saw some very strange things.” He paused there, not caring to mention the ring. Frank shrank from offering Alice Cleare any half confidence, and whole confidence he could not yet give. “She spoke to me concerning some matters unknown to me, and which I do not believe,” he continued, ‘‘and she told me, as a test to her veracity and good faith, that I should find something in a certain place in this house on my return. She did not tell me what it was, only where I was to look for it. There is a table between the drawing- room windows—is there not ?” ‘“‘'Yes—a walnut-wood card table,” answered Alice. ‘‘It is always kept closed, and is covered with books and ornaments. Miss Connell told me it had never once been used.” ‘Can you remember any of the ornaments on it 2?” Alice shook her head. ‘They have been changed two or three times since I came here,” she replied. ‘‘Some sketch books and albums usually lie on it; and I think some other things are there just now. Yes, I remember. A little table used to stand in the windows, supporting, each, a vase with a flower-pot in it. When your mother and Miss Agate were coming, Mrs. Connell thought those small tables might be handy in the bed-rooms; and she removed the vases and flower-pots to the card-table, and had the other tables taken upstairs.” ‘Can you describe the vases, Miss Cleare ?” Alice looked at him in some surprise as she reflected. ‘‘They have a white ground with coloured rims, and a wreath of roses running round the base.” ‘The woman spoke of these jars as not being quite alike: one had a green rim, she said, and one a blue one.” “Tt is quite possible,” said Alice, hardly knowing whether to take all this seriously: ‘“‘and very easy to ascertain. What about the flower-pots—and the rims?” **T am to look in the blue-rimmed one,” explained Frank, rising from the chair which he had taken while they talked. ‘‘ Miss Cleare, may I ask you a favour?” “Yes, certainly,” she said. “If there’s anything I can do for you ?” “Will you join me in this search: and see, with me, what i find, and where I find it? I am afraid there is some under- hand work in all this,” he hastened to add, in reply to her evident ECORnNIClOOKKS (©) mn