The Argosy — page 22: what you’re looking at

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

Mrs. Raven’s Temptation. — 9 about glory and nations and—-— that sort of thing. I don’t care one bit about glory, and I don’t want to have anything to do with nations! JI never even cared much for history. I want a quiet life, and peace and comfort.” ‘J should have liked a grand, romantic fortune like that,” said Evelyn. ‘All she told me was only what might be expected.” “And yet, if she had followed our looks only,” Louisa sighed, ‘‘T’m sure she ought to have given you the heroine’s part. When- ever we played at charades at school, I was always an old woman in a white cap. The crowns and coronets did not suit my style, and everybody burst out laughing if I put them on.” “But what makes you think of crowns and coronets? “I didn’t hear her mention them.” “No,” said Louisa, “but you heard her talk about a nation shouting. If it means anything, it means that Marco Learli is somebody more than he seems. He once hinted as much to my mother.” ‘‘And has he never put any confidence in you?” asked Evelyn. “Did you not even ask him what he meant by his words to Mrs. Connell ?” Louisa’s face was burning in the kindly darkness. ‘He said to me the first time we met, when we were not sure ever to meet again,” she whispered, ‘‘ that perhaps some day I should see his name in the public papers and hear people talking about him. ‘Those were his words; I never forgot them; for at the time he looked so sad and ill, and his eyes had such a strange, far-away expression, that I was terribly afraid he might be thinking of—-—of suicide.” Louisa, repeating the last word in a dread, timid whisper, ex- pected Evelyn to be altogether thrilled. But Evelyn laughed. ** That would not have made much sensation,” she observed. “It is only what the world might think quite natural in a disappointed, home-sick foreigner. Foreigners do not regard these points as we do. But it 1s certainly singular when the Italian’s modest words get this strange re-statement in a prophetic flourish of the witch-woman’s. I wish you joy of your prince in disguise, Miss Connell.” ‘I don’t want him to be a prince in disguise,” returned Louisa. Louisa could not rest. She could not help connecting the visit of yesterday with the terror of this night, and she trembled for what they had done. ‘““T think we ought to tell Frank Raven about our visit and what was said,” she murmured. ‘You see, Miss Agate, we have begun to mix ourselves up with this woman, and there’s nothing so dangerous or foolish in most things as leaving off in the middle. We had better go through to the end, and then be more careful in future.” ‘Do as you like; you are his cousin; it is for you to tell him,” said Evelyn, curtly, craftily suppressing her delight. ECOnnicloookks (GO