The Argosy — page 25: what you’re looking at

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

12 Mrs. Raven’s Temptation. “Dear me!” rejoined Philip, feeling rather conscious. ‘‘ What may that be?” ‘Nothing very interesting on the surface of it,” answered his mother, ‘‘ but, as I say, the true meaning may be hidden. Listen: “<«THE Cave: Yesterday: Is the message delivered? Beware!’” Louisa was trembling from head to foot. She dared not lift her cyes either to Evelyn’s face or Philip’s. A buzzing sound rang in her ears ; through which she heard Evelyn take up the conversation, in her specially quiet, deliberate manner, and speak to Philip. ‘““’There was that woman who passed us; after we came out of the Cave. She looked like a character—as if she had a history of her own.” Louisa had to control herself during breakfast. Afterwards she drew Philip to what was called the housekeeper’s room, a little place that had been her own peculiar sanctum since she took the house- keeping and other domestic duties off her mother’s hands. ‘There she gave way completely, and sobbed aloud. ‘Philip, I’m frightened to death ; I can’t bear it any longer. And I won't have that Miss Agate crowing over me, as I know she zs. And Frank ought to get that message! It is for him to choose his own course afterwards: not for us to keep him in the dark.” Philip was thoughtful. For one thing, he could not understand his sister’s panic. He knew Evelyn Agate better than Louisa did, and probably had even a lower and yet truer estimate of her worth, or worthlessness. But Philip was no sage: only a worldly-wise young man, who had his wits about him. He was quite willing that Frank should receive the message that the witch had sent. In truth his own curlosity was aroused, not only about that, but about these other curious things that were happening. Philip wanted to know more. Three questions were lying upon his mind. To wit: Whether that woman was a mere clever im- postor, scenting her track as she went, and so, like a hound hiable to be defeated by a false trail? Whether she was a dangerous adven- turess, with objects of her own in view? Or, whether there lay, behind her, any mystery passing present comprehension, and linking her and her retrospects and prophecies with the strange being his mother and Alice Cleare had seen in the garden? ‘Tt would never do to have a town’s talk made over anything con- nected with our sober house,” mentally repeated Philip. But the pacification of Louisa was the duty of the present moment. How easily women could get flurried! Philip could not see why she should be so agitated: could not gather much reason for it from her disconnected words. The foolish girl seemed to imagine that because she had had her fortune told, she might be followed by evil and dis- turbing influences for the remainder of her days. ‘“Well, Louie,” he said, aloud, ‘we'll tell Frank. It does not necessarily follow that papa and mamma need be told. We might CORNICE OOOKS (E(@)