The Argosy — page 34: what you’re looking at

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

Mrs. Raven’s Temptation. 21 she was heeded or not. If she let him go without one, how would she feel after he was gone? But, oh! he was sure to ask for her at the very last; and if she had courage and faith to wait for that, it would leave her so much happier than if she sought it. She could hear the voices talking. “ Are you going straight from Coltburn ?” Philip asked. ‘Shall you leave by the last train? Would it not be nice if some of us ran down to the station at the last, and saw you off?” There was a moment’s hesitation before Marco replied. ‘‘ My movements are a little uncertain,” he said then. ‘‘I may have to go a short way out of the town to transact a slight matter of business en my way. If so, I shall drive on thence and catch the train at the next station. I would rather part with you here—at the door of your own home. Good-bye! good-bye !” He was gone—without one word or thought for Louisa! She threw herself on her bed, and it was the same to the poor girl as if 2ll the world had come to an end. The others went back to the drawing-room. If there was fire in Evelyn’s eyes, there was moisture in Mrs. Connell’s. “Poor boy!” she said. ‘‘ There is certainly some mystery about him. I always fancy he feels something looming before his path. What can it be? I suppose creatures as slight as he, in the eyes of their contemporaries, have had their hand in the world’s history before now.” As she spoke, she went to the window and hasped it, and drew the curtains. They would not be in that room again till all was dark, and after the preceding night, she felt a little nervous. It was the tapping of Evelyn at Louisa’s door which aroused the girl from her ecstacy of pain—Evelyn’s rap and her clear, bell-like tone, announcing that it would soon be dinner time. And poor Louisa, with true womanly instinct, struggled to suppress all signs of misery, and went forth apparently calm. The breaking-down might come later, but it should not be in the sight of Evelyn. In honour of the presence of Mrs. Raven, accustomed to state and show, the Connell dinners were made much more formal affairs than when the family were alone. In this respect, at least, Mrs. Connell had refused Philip’s advice to persist in the ordinary household pro- gramme, and make no difference of any kind. Dessert was on the table, when the servant came in and whispered something to Louisa, which caused her face to flush vividly, as she instructed the girl to “* tell mamma.” “Marco Learli back again !” exclaimed Mrs. Connell. ‘“ He says we are not to be interrupted if we are at dinner; he will wait. For whom did he ask, Julia?” ‘For me, surely!” cried Percy, springing to his feet. “No, sir,” said the girl; ‘‘ he asked for Miss Connell.” “You had better go to him at once, Louisa,” said her mother CONnNICOOOKS.EO