The Argosy — page 360: what you’re looking at

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

Mrs. Raven's Temptation. 337 it was Leonard Raven himself, the very last day I saw him before the beginning of his illness. <A foundling—adopted, eh? Was she introduced to the Court through your family, sir, may I ask ?” “No; through an advertisement, I believe,” answered Mr. Connell. “Tt is all very sad. And I fear that the very circumstances which should commend this friendless creature—a nameless foundling—to our utmost justice and forbearance, will with most people only serve to condemn her.” “No; no, I hope not,” said the Vicar, pacing to and fro medita- tively. ‘Only I had a curious conviction about this girl which would not dovetail with what I had been told about her. And I think it may with what you tell me now.” Mr. Connell sat silent and expectant. “Did you notice that man in the butler’s room ?” asked the Vicar, stopping short. ‘‘I mean that poor lad’s father, the good-looking, dissipated labourer? ‘That’s Eldred Sloam? Do you know who he is said to be—is, in fact, known to be?” ¢é Yes. 3 “He has been a bad fellow all through,” said the Vicar. “He was a bad husband to that poor lad’s mother, and he had a vile character before he married her. In his young days there was one girl he got acquainted with for whom everybody was sorry. Her name was Hester Walker. I knew her very well, for she was a favourite servant in a house where I often visited. Nobody knew what became of her, and Eldred fell into a good deal of bad odour over the affair. Some people thought she had made away with her- self, and some people seemed to suspect him of making away with her. I didn’t—not of that last part.” Mr. Toynbee paused in thought, and then went on. “The last time I ever saw Hester Walker was one evening when visiting a sick parishioner. I chanced to look out of the window and saw her and Eldred Sloam standing talking at a gate near. He was leaning over it, twirling a flower in his mouth, hard indifference written in every line of his handsome face and figure. She stood in front of him, wringing her hands, and looking up at him as if straining her whole soul to see into his.” : “But how do you connect this with Evelyn Agate ?” mameten, said the Vicar. ‘“‘The moment I set eyes on Mrs. Raven’s new companion, I felt sure I had seen her before, or else somebody very like her. And sometimes by this sort of lurking memory I felt attracted to her, and sometimes repelled. But I could never make it out ———” he paused once more. “ Until ——” prompted Mr. Connell. “Until one night when Eldred Sloam was ill, and she and Charity Hale came to his cottage while I was there. He was delirious, and in his raving he saw the young lady and was frightened at her.” “Frightened at her,” echoed Mr. Connell. VOL, XXXIV. : Z GOnlGaooks (C©)