The Argosy — page 276: what you’re looking at

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

The Mystery of Allan Grale. 257 interest, and as he spoke, he thought he saw a shade of pain and shrinking pass over her pale face. ‘‘ Remember,” he said, “I am giving my convictions according to the circumstances as you state them.” ‘But you see,” pleaded Maria, “ because I happened to know that one person had had this drug, it would not follow that other persons might not have had it too. ‘The present trouble it was causing might not be his.” There could be no doubt about it: his sister was pleading hard with her own conscience to allow her to keep silence concerning some- thing she knew. What could it be? He felt sure that she had stated her case far wide of the mark, not to enlighten him unawares, and that drugs had really nothing to do with the matter: otherwise George’s wan appearance and his uncle’s sudden illness might have occurred to his mind, which they certainly did not. At least, not then. “T can only repeat again that I am speaking and judging in the dark,” he resumed. ‘If you wish me to say more, you must disclose the matter further to me. Are you not going to do so, Maria?” “No, no,” she hastily answered, ‘‘ I never meant to do that now. Perhaps—later—if—if—if I am forced to. That’s all,” she concluded: with less hesitation. “Then, my dear, why did you enter upon the subject at all?” ‘ Because I am so unhappy,” she said in a distressed tone. ‘ You cannot picture the unhappiness, Edgar. But I am not going to speak. I must not; I would not.” ‘You must be suspecting somebody of some great guilt, or evil.” Maria buried her face in her hands. ‘“ One is so apt to fall into temptation,” she lamented, looking up again. ‘‘ Edgar, you yourself know how evil influences draw one and drag one down. And one begins doing wrong sometimes, not seeing it to be wrong !” ‘“ T know all that,” said her brother, quietly. “You young men especially are apt to be led away by specious: sophistry ; and when once the straight road is deviated from, pitfalls lie around to entrap the unwary feet, and drag them, one knows not whither. But there, I will say no more,” broke off Maria; “I might unwittingly say too much.” ‘What on earth has George been up to?” thought Edgar. “Yes, let us quit the subject,” he said aloud, feeling it a relief to do so. ‘‘ But there’s a thing, connected with another subject that I wish you would tell me, Maria: what it 1s that has arisen between you and Allan.” Quite a flood of pain passed over her countenance. She did not answer. ‘“] think you quarrelled one evening some months ago; you and he. You have not been the same since, either of you. At times you both look as if you had too much to bear.” ‘’ Ah—if you only knew what I have borne!” she moaned. ‘Oh, CORIClOOKS ©) (SO