Geoffrey's Victory by Mrs Georgie Sheldon — page 187: what you’re looking at

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

AN UNEXPECTED MEETING. — 183 visitor’s discomfiture, ‘‘and it really must be a great trial | to you. to have such a mystery enshrouding your par- entage.” “Tt is, but—it must be solved sooner or later,” Geoffrey said, resolutely. He arose to go as he spoke, thanked the farmer heartily for his kindness in telling what he wished to know, then mounted his horse and rode back toward the town, greatly perplexed and somewhat disheartened. ‘‘Lock Box 438 is a slender thread to lead to much, but T’ll follow it until it breaks,” he said to himself, as he went on his way. CHAPTER XXIX, AN UNEXPECTED MEETING. The sun had long since gone down, and darkness was rapidly settling over the country, as Geoffrey pursued his way, grateful indeed that be had such good news to take back to Jack, but well-nigh discouraged on his own account. It had been agreed that he should learn all he could about Henly’s old home, and where Margery was bur- ied, and that Jack should himself revisit the place after nightfall, upon his return, since he did not dare to make his appearance there by davlight. The road tothe town lay through a heavy growth of timber, and, as Geoffrey came into it, the darkness was sO intensified that at first he could hardly distinguish the way, when, suddenly, his horse gave a startled snort and shied one side, nearly throwing bis rider from the sad- dle. “Gently, gently, sir,” he said, reassuringly, as he quickly recovered himself. “What is the trouble, my boy ?” | He glanced searchingly about him, and saw a muitied figure sitting upon a rock under the shadow of a greut tree. Geoffrey’s hand instinctively caught the handle of the revolver that he always carried when traveling, and then he rode directly up to the figure. “Who are you?” he demanded, “and why are you sit- ting here alone in the darkness ?” “Do not fear, sir,” responded a quiet, honest voice. “I CONNIE NOOK GEC)