The Argosy — page 358: what you’re looking at

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

Mrs. Raven’s Temptation. 335 “T am glad he is here!” exclaimed Mr. Connell, as he followed Budd like one in a dream, and saw Cran and another man lingering in the hall. In the luncheon-room he found the strange doctor and Evelyn, and a pleasant-faced clergyman with white hair: the Vicar. Mr. Cran walked up to Evelyn, and said something to her in a low, civil tone. Evelyn stood up, straight and white. ‘‘What is this? What is this all about ? ” she said, turning to Mr. Toynbee. ‘‘You are suspected of administering this poison,” he said in a sad, slow voice. To his dying day Mr. Connell never forgot Evelyn’s face at that moment. He could never describe the change in it. It could not turn whiter or more fixed than it had been before. But there came upon it a look of mingled fear and hope—a something of wild triumph mingled with a strange gleam of something softer. It might be sin- gular, but at that moment of terror and humiliation she drew nearer to his sympathies than ever she had in the heyday of her cold and careless beauty. “You are not called upon to say anything, remember,” Cran spoke, warningly. ‘‘It might be used against you afterwards.” “T did not say anything, did I?” she asked, turning upon him. The strange storm-light had died-out in her face, leaving it hard and still. ‘‘Nurse Hannah will take charge of you,” said Cran; “we can’t let you go to your own room. Is there anything you would like?” ‘No. Nurse Hannah can be with me: nobody else—none of the people I know.” ‘‘ Well,” said Cran, aside to Mr. Toynbee, “‘ I’ve never before come across one that didn’t think it worth while even to claim innocence. They may know it’s no use, but they all think it sounds well.” Evelyn went out with her calm, even step, walking beside the trim female detective. And as she passed him, Mr. Connell noticed on her dress a shred of wool from some little handiwork in which she had been recently engaged. It tore his heart to see it. She toohad her harmless human hours! CHAPTER XLIII. THE VICAR TAKES THE RESPONSIBILITY OF REPAIRS. It was Charity Hale who carried Mrs. Raven the news. She was lying on the sofa in her own room. “There has been dark work, ma’am,” said the old woman. ‘‘Some- thing queer was going on here for a long time, and it turns out that Nurse Hannah belongs to the police, and she’s now got Miss Evelyn under her charge.” “Got Miss Evelyn under her charge?” gasped Mrs. Raven. ECORnNIClOOkKS (CO) An