The Evil Genius: A Domestic Story — page 125: what you’re looking at

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

114 THE EVIL GENIUS. spies are watching your gate, what do you say to crossing tho Jake under cover of the fog ?” FOURTH BOOK. CHAPTER XXVIII. MR. RANDAL LINLEY. WINTER had come and gone; spring was nearing its end, and London still suffered under the rigid regularity of easterly winds. Although in less than a week summer would begin with the first of June, Mr. Sarrazin was glad to find his office warmed by a fire when he arrived to open the letters of the day. The correspondence in general related exclusivsly to proceed- ings connected with the law. ‘T'wo letters only presented an ex- ception to the general rule. The first was addressed in Mrs. Lin- ley’s handwriting, and bore the postmark of Hanover. Kitty’s mother had not only succeeded in getting to the safe side of the Jake—she and her child had crossed the German Ocean as well. In one respect her letter was a remarkable composition. Al- though it was written by a lady it was short enough to be read in less than a minute. ‘*MY DEAR MR. SARRAZIN,—I have just time to write by this evening’s post. Our excellent courier has satisfied himself that the danger of discovery has passed away. The wretches have been so completely deceived that they are already on their way back to England, to lie in wait for us at Folkestone and Dover. To-morrow morning we leave this charming place—oh, how un- willingly!—for Bremen, to catch the steamer to Hull. You shall hear from me again on our arrival. ‘*Gratefully yours, CATHERINE LINLEY.”’ Mr. Sarrazin put this letter into a private drawer, and smiled as he turned the key. ‘‘ Has she made up her mind at last?” he asked himself. ‘‘ But for the courier I shouldn’t feel sure of her even now!” The second letter agreeably surprised him. It announced that the writer had just returned from the United States; it invited him to dinner that evening: and it was signed ‘‘ Randal Linley.” In Mr. Sarrazin’s estimation, Randal occupied a higher place than his brother. The lawyer had known Mrs. Linley before her marriage, and had been privately inclined to think that she would have done wisely if she had given her hand tothe younger brother instead of the elder. His acquaintance with Randal ripened rapidly into friendship. But his relations with Herbert made no advance toward intimacy: there was a gentlemanlike cordiality between them, and nothing more. , Gomicdooks (EO)