The Argosy — page 344: what you’re looking at

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

moe ARG, O.S Y. NOVEMBER, 17882. MRS. RAVEN’S TEMPTATION. BY THE AUTHOR OF “DR. HARDY’S MARRIAGE.” CHAPTER XXXIX. THE STRANGER IN CHURCH. Bp eRE is this striking difference between trouble which has hope and trouble which has despair: the former makes a pause in life, the usual course of things. may stop, just because it may be presently resumed ; but when once despair enters, we make a forlorn struggle to keep things going, feeling that what we once let drop may well be dropped for ever. After Leonard’s first attack, Mrs. Raven did not appear at church for many Sundays, and Evelyn had kept her company at home for two or three of them. But on Christmas morning, Frank and Evelyn went out to attend the Christmas service together. The little church was decorated in the old-fashioned style. Modern taste might scoff at the huge boughs of holly simply bound to the lamps, or wound round the sturdy old pillars, but the Vicar’s pride lay in the number and hue of the bright berries thereon, and he would have thought the introduction of sham coral or artificial _ flowers nothing short of desecration. The sound of the joyful, familiar hymns somewhat softened Frank’s mood, and when, glancing down at his companion, he noticed that her lips were tremulous and her eyes suffused with tears, his feelings towards her grew quite kindly, and he felt remorseful for his sus- picions and coldness. When the service was over, and he rose to leave the church, Evelyn put out her hand and caught him back. ‘‘ Wait—wait a moment!” Frank sat down again. But Evelyn stood up, and watched the crowd moving from the back seats. It was not till the building was nearly empty that she stirred. ‘““Can’t we go back some other way than through the village and by the lodge?” she whispered hurriedly, as they walked down the VOL. XXXIV, CONN be OKSoCO mn