The Argosy — page 184: what you’re looking at

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

Lady Valeria. 167 been hearing, and am beginning to look at everything that happens according to its bearing on it.” ‘Don’t disappoint me. You were going to ask me to do some- thing. Out with it. Quick! What were you going to ask ?” ‘To find me two Irish emigrants, address unknown ; also the date of their emigration. JI was just considering it a moment ago as the most hopeless quest I could undertake.” Arbuthnot Corbett’s note-book was out in an instant and his keen face, all alert, was turned to LEustace’s with an expression of eager interest. ‘‘ Name? Number of family? Place of abode in Ireland ?” Eustace told him as much as he knew himself, promising to forward any further information he might receive later. Mr. Corbett closed his note-book contentedly. ‘‘It’s the youngest you want—Stephen, eh? Do you want him alive or dead?” “I should wish to find him dead,” said the Vicar, more honestly than ninety-nine men out of a hundred dare have spoken. ‘That means if he’s alive he’s dangerous,” and Corbett’s sharp eyes twinkled. ‘‘ Very good. If he’s living I'll cable, if he’s dead you can wait for the next mail. What’s that ?” “ That” was the Seven of Spades, which Eustace had uncon- sciously held all this time. “Oh, nothing! A choir-boy’s peccadillo. I was absurdly startled by it Just now, though.” Corbett took it and examined it curiously. ‘“‘ Paris made. An unusual make and one of a fresh pack. Nota choir-boy’s plaything, my friend. Where did you find it?” “In the vestry. Pd give something to know who dropped it.” His cousin without more ado possessed himself of two of the pins used to fasten up notices of services and memoranda on the wall near the Vicar’s writing-table, and stuck the card up prominently above the fire-place. “There, that’s incongruous enough to attract notice. Leave it there and keep your eyes open when any newcomer enters, and, if my brains are worth half the sacrifices Iam making to get them back into working order, youll hear something of that Seven of Spades before a month’s out. Time’s up! Good-bye. You shall havea Magrath within six months if there’s one left in the land.” Many days followed, during which Eustace Stannard went about his work pursued by a vision of Lady Valeria’s great, passionate eyes filled with their agony of fierce impatience. Every spare moment was devoted to considering her story from all imaginable points of view, re-reading and annotating the cipher notes of the in- terview, which he had made with the utmost care and accuracy, or awaiting her promised summons which never came. He had made a few desultory and unsatisfactory enquiries on his Own account meanwhile, beginning as was most natural with Lionel CORnniclboooks (CO)