The Argosy — page 266: what you’re looking at

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

Mrs. Raven's Temptation. 245 Agate, parenthetically. ‘It is only Evelyn’s nonsense,” and she resumed the letter : “This Eldred Sloam has been very ill. He hurt his leg running away from something when he was tipsy. Popular report at once whispered that it was the famous family ghost. Nothing was to be seen afterwards but a wheelbarrow standing on end. I went to see him with Mrs. Hale, and he behaved like a delirious lunatic when he saw me. ‘The family are very good to him. Mr. Leonard has once threatened to turn him away; but they know better than not to be kind to him, for ———” again a judicious omission on Miss Agate’s part. ‘‘The ghost I mentioned as ‘walking’ is still going about. But now there are said to be two more ghosts in addition ! The latest arrivals from Spiritland are a young man, and a woman who is attired in a green gown: age uncertain. The village nerves are shaken to the last degree ‘This last report came to Mr. Leonard’s ears, and he is very angry: he thinks it all nonsense. Mrs. Raven takes these stories to heart, somehow, though one cannot imagine she can be frightened by such things.” “There,” said Miss Agate, ‘“‘I think we must wait a little, and see what comes next. My nerves have grown quieter in merely talking out the whole thing. And now you are in town, I shall not feel-so lonely in the matter: there is somebody to appeal to. Of course, I could not discuss things relating to your family with anybody un- connected with it,” she added, turning to Frank. “Miss Agate,” said Frank, earnestly, ‘‘I don’t believe there is any- thing at Ravenscourt that need alarm you. But you know there are histories and tragedies in all families.” She smiled: for he quite forgot her own story; and he went on to say, with some excitement, ‘Perhaps I shall have one to tell you some day. Your niece may have one, too.” ‘Must have one,” said Miss Agate, calmly. ‘The facts of Evelyn’s life prove that. It will be odd if that history comes to light when we have quite left off expecting it.” There came again that heavy knocking at the wall. This time the raps followed swiftly and sharply; there was no mistaking the peremptoriness of their summons. Miss Agate ran out of the room without a word. ‘“We must go the moment she comes back,” whispered Philip. They could hear voices in the adjoining chamber: the one, thin, shrill, and excited ; the other, soothing and sweet. Miss Agate returned presently, with a slight appearance of agita- tion. ‘I must not detain you longer,” she said ; ‘‘my poor brother has asked something he never asked before—never once all these years. He actually wanted to know who was in here: he had heard a voice, he said, and must know whose it was. He must have heard all the voices always, but he has never noticed one before. He is trembling. Some tone must have struck his wandering fancy. I COMmicoooks