The Argosy — page 19: what you’re looking at

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

6 Mrs. Raven’s Temptation. the impression that it must be a woman’s voice. A man’s would hardly have been so shrill.” ‘“T have known men’s voices grow shrill in terror,” remarked Philip. ‘* Aunt Raven, what did it seem like to you ?” “Tt was just a cry,” she answered, coughing slightly. ‘I got no: impression concerning it.” ‘Tt was like the yell of the banshees we read about in Irish story books,” said Louisa. Her brother looked at her; knowing about the events of yesterday, he understood why supernatural imagery came up so readily. ‘Tt was like somebody being murdered,” said Evelyn. ‘Tam like Mrs. Raven,” observed the minister. ‘I was aware only of a sudden cry ringing through my doze. The question is— whether anyone, sleeping front, saw this figure on the grass, felt alarmed at it, and so gave the scream. I suppose you are sure it was neither you nor Miss Cleare ?”—to his wife. ‘That it was not, James. I wish I could say it had been.” ‘¢'Well—who else of us occupies front rooms?” “Mrs. Raven; Louisa; Miss Agate; Philip and Percy.” ‘And now, who amongst you looked out to see this figure?” demanded Mr. Connell. No one spoke. “You sat at the table in the middle of the room, writing your letter—with the curtains drawn,” said Mrs. Connell, turning to Mrs. Raven: who nodded in reply. ‘‘T was in bed,” put in Louisa. “So was I,” added Evelyn. ‘And I’m sure we were,” said Percy, “‘ and fast asleep, too.” ‘ Ah, I see we shall have to fall back upon mother and Miss Cleare,” remarked Philip, not choosing to confess to the bafiled feeling that seemed to be setting in. ‘‘ They do admit to have seen the mysterious visitant, and to have been alarmed at it. Can you be guite sure, mother, that the scream was not given by Miss Cleare or yourself? Remember, you were alarmed and off your guard: nothing could be more natural than to cry out.” ‘T am not a screaming woman,” said Mrs. Connell, a little piqued, for she really believed Philip was putting the questions seriously. ‘‘ And I am sure Miss Cleare is not, either.” *¢ So,” remarked Philip, ‘it seems that we are just where we were. I shall begin to think there was no cry at all. You had all of you gone up to your bed-rooms nervous; that’s what it was. As to the ficure, we had been talking of that figure, you know. So what more easy than to have imagined you saw it, and to have been alarmed accordingly ? Nothing is so deceptive as moonlight.” “There was something to alarm us at any rate,” retorted Mrs. Connell. ‘The man was in the garden—for a man I have no doubt it was. Though you seem to wish to take away our ears and our common sense, Philip, I suppose we may keep our eyes.” ECOPMICLOOOKS. EO