The Argosy — page 98: what you’re looking at

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

Mrs. Raven’s Temptation. 83 ‘“‘ Ay,” said the woman, with a sudden change of manner; quite different from that which she had hitherto shown. ‘‘ That stirs you, does it ?” ‘Of course I am puzzled to imagine how you can know these things,” acknowledged Frank. ‘Ah, you perceive I do know things, then! Do you wish me to go on and tell you all I know?” ““T suppose you had best tell me what it was that made you wish to see me,” answered Frank. ‘Shall I tell you who it is that will be your wife?” she asked. Frank was sorely vexed that he could not keep a tell-tale red flush from mounting to the very roots of his hair. A curious self- consciousness was stirring his heart. ‘You are not able to tell me that,” he rejoined. ‘‘ Probably I shall never have a wife.” The woman laughed faintly. ‘‘ You young men all say that. Especially when your heart tells you who it is you would like to have.” What should he do? He hated to think that by his means— throughhis being there—Alice Cleare should be commented upon by this obscure andcrafty woman. How could he stop it? He sat in silence, inwardly writhing. “‘] see her. She is tall and slim ”—and Frank had very nearly burst in here with the interruption, She is not tall. ‘‘There is gold in her hair. It is like the old red gold that frames the miniatures, which I see hanging in an oak cabinet in Ravenscourt. Her initials—-—” “You are talking nonsense,” interrupted Frank: ‘‘ and it is non- sense which I do not like, because it seems almost like an insult to wth oe ‘The initials of her name are an E. and an A.” quietly continued the woman. “ Hh—what ?” exclaimed Frank, taken by surprise, as he perceived it was not Alice Cleare. “You do know one whose initials are E. and A. Ay, I per- ceive so. And there is your wife that is to be.” “You are entirely wrong,” spoke Frank, hotly. ‘Am I? You know what you know: but you do not know all. There is a threatening ghost that walks in the grounds at Ravens- court—that does not matter much, there are ghosts walking about most grand houses, if people’s eyes are open to see them. The young lady with the gold in her hair can lay that ghost for 194 and you, and for that reason, will marry her.” Frank’s mind was in a state of bewilderment. ‘And when you have married her the ghost will cease to walk in Raven Park, and that strange old woman in the court- corridors will be at rest, and even Mrs. Raven ”—and here there was a drawl as of contempt in her voice—‘ may learn to love you!” ““T don’t know what you are talking about,” stammered Frank : EOnniclookks (GO