The Argosy — page 349: what you’re looking at

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

326 Mrs. Raven’s Temptation. Rev. Mr. Connell,’ as large as life, and marked ‘Immediate,’ and posted the letter herself early this morning. And of course, she knows my tongue’s tied! ‘That is, if she thought of me. Folks think that post-people have no eyes nor ears, nor natural curiosity !” | CHAPTER XL. DUST ON THE CARPET. FRANK rose next day not quite recovered from the previous suffering. He had no appetite for his breakfast. He sipped a little coffee and nibbled a little toast, and went back to his own room, fit for nothing but to lhe down and rest. He knew that Budd had a list of all the small douceurs to be distributed among the lower class of de- pendents, who had not been remembered on Christmas Eve with ‘“the Squire’s compliments,” and he hoped not to be disturbed till lunch-time. Vain hope! For he had not been there an hour, and was just dropping into a soothing doze, when Budd’s firm, quiet rap fell on his door, and he heard the words : ‘A telegram come for you, sir.” Frank sprang up. ‘The message was from his Uncle Connell, and. it said: “Tam just now starting for Ravenscourt. Do not announce my coming till you see me.” | Frank was mystified: but only fora moment. The next instant he decided that his uncle had got some information from the detectives, which would be best imparted personally. Of course, the Connells knew nothing as yet of the renewed blow which had fallen on the Court family on Christmas Eve, for there had been nothing in it so urgent as to suggest a special message ; rather it tended towards that chronic sort of trouble which tempts to dull silence and endurance. Frank marvelled what the coming revelation would be—he felt sure there would be one. But he knew he would not have to wonder long. The train must be already swiftly bearing Mr. Connell in the track of his telegram. He thrust his uncle’s missive into his pocket, lay back again, and soon relapsed into the slumber from which Budd’s knock had aroused him. Huis last waking thoughts were contra- -dictory—the one being, “‘Is it because I have a good constitution ‘that it insists thus upon repairing itself after the least damage ?” and the other, ‘‘ Can this be the earliest sign of the hereditary taint now manifold in my poor brother? Is the genuineness of our rela- tionship to be proven in this terrible way ?” As he slept, he dreamed—a strange dream. He heard a bell tolling, and he knew it was a death-knell for some- body. And there was a woman in black, walking up and down, whose face he could not see—but he knew she was Evelyn Agate. And COMIC LDOOLKS,(Efo)