The Argosy — page 363: what you’re looking at

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

340 Mrs. Raven’s Temptation. tome. He told me he had it: that it was safe. It was I who spoke about it first—about Leonard’s having said he had lost it. You see all this points to a traitor within the Court.” ‘Well, well,” said Mr. Connell, “ but there must be a great deal more that we do not understand at all yet. I shall certainly take your advice, Mr. Toynbee, and get Miss Cleare to come here, if she will. She is a good little girl who has passed through great trials herself, and she knows how to respect sorrow and trouble.” They had reached the railway station, and the Minister went to a desk to compose his telegram. He did not grudge an extra fee, but he wanted every word to tell. As he took the missive to the clerk, he noticed that Mr. ‘Toynbee, who had left him in peace during its composition, had fallen into conversation with a tall, thin, elderly woman. She was talking with the arid fluency of one going over a string of grievances which frequent recital has made familiar. The Vicar turned towards Mr. Connell as he passed him, but did not speak till he came back—his message safely delivered. ‘This 1s Miss Wilmot, our new post-mistress,” he said, and the elderly woman gave a curious cross between the ‘‘ bow” of her better days, and the ‘‘bob” which was the accredited sign of Ravenstoke respect. ‘‘ Miss Wilmot is again complaining very much of the accommodations of her post-office,” the Vicar proceeded to explain, “and not without cause. I promised to speak to your nephews about the necessary alterations—but how can I, just now ?” ‘“ And every day I am more and more afraid there’ll be an accident,” said Miss Wilmot. ‘It’s quite a weight on my mind that something will happen; and the public may suffer, but I shall have to bear the blame. Maybe the gentleman doesn’t know my place: but you do, sir, and you can bear witness that it’s full of awkward corners, and of rotten floors and skirting-boards which have started that loose that they might serve for bags of letters going nowhere! ” The Vicar drew Mr. Connell aside. ‘‘She is a nervous, responsible sort of woman,” he said, ‘“‘and if any accident should happen to throw discredit on her, I should pity her very much. For the post-office is a disgrace to the village. The late Squire was always talking about getting it done up, but the last post-people were very indolent, and never pressed the matter. Don’t you think we might ——” ‘Give her permission to repair it on our own responsibility,” said the quick, practical man. ‘‘ Yes, certainly.” “T’m sure Frank would like it; and I expect it is Frank with whom the tenants will have to deal very soon.” Mr. Connell answered nothing to that, for he had his own knowledge and his own thoughts upon that matter. But he let the phrase stand. ‘Speak to the carpenter yourself, Miss! \Vilmot,” said Mr. Toynbee, briskly, to the post-mistress. “Spur him on to work as fast as he can, and so get your mind at ease.” Comicbooks;com