The Argosy — page 354: what you’re looking at

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

Mrs. Raven's Temptation. 331 broke off the nurse, as they came in view of the Court, “there must be something wrong !—look at the bustling to and fro!” They quickened their pace. Janet Mackay came running towards them. ‘Oh, Mrs. Hannah, we’ve been looking for you high and low. There’s Master Frank lying insensible in his bed-room, and there’s poor James Sloam taken mortally bad in the kitchen. We've sent off all ways for the doctors, and 6 ‘‘ Hush!” said Nurse Hannah, authoritatively. ‘This gentleman is the Reverend Mr. Connell, Mrs. Raven’s brother-in-law. Will you come, sir, to Mr. Frank’s room?” Mrs. Raven was already there, and so were Budd and Sims. Everybody made way for Nurse Hannah, and nobody took much heed — of Mr. Connell. ‘The experienced woman proceeded to make a few rapid observations, and then prepared for stringent measures. “What had Mr. Frank taken last?” she asked, as she went for- ward with her preparations. “A beautiful basin of soup; as good soup as ever you saw,” pro- tested Mrs. Sims. ‘‘ Leastway, he did not take it—but a drop or two. I gave it to poor James.” “And he’s ill too!” said the nurse. “Ma’am,” said Sims, reproachfully, ‘‘you ought to know the young master was ill yesterday. He was as sick as could be, and he’d had then only a glass of wine, the last in the decanter. Miss Agate sent it down to be cleaned afterwards.” “Was it cleaned?” asked the nurse. Her questions seemed put almost in absent-mindedness. ‘“‘ No,” said the housekeeper; ‘‘ there’s no bottle-washing about my place on Christmas Day. It was put away as it was.” “Just go down and see how James is, and do for him as you see I am doing for Mr, Frank: and you may bring that decanter up- Stairs and give it to Mr. Connell to take care of. Who served up lunch to-day—you, Budd, I suppose?” added the nurse. “Yes, ma’am, I did,” said the awed Budd. ‘* And who was in the room ?” | “Only Miss Evelyn, ma’am,” glancing across the bed to Mrs. Raven, who crouched there, with wrung hands. ‘‘My mistress did not come down to-day.” “Thank you, Budd. Now, Mr. Connell, may I trouble you to step this way for an instant.” She made as though she required his help in moving Frank. While he rendered it, she whispered to the minister: ‘“‘ Please go in search of Miss Agate, and secure that she does not leave the house. Also please go down to the lodge-gate and stick a torn envelope on one of the palings there. ‘That will bring in Cran.” Mr, Connell obeyed like one in a dream. He was fairly dum- founded by the unexpected and entirely tragic turn affairs had taken. EORnnicloooks (GO An