I Forbid the Banns! — page 182: what you’re looking at

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

172 “7 FORBID THE BANNS!” The groom scrutinized the lock. ‘It’s bolted, sir, sure enough,’’ said he, running to the lodge. The lodge door was not locked. ‘The groom disappeared within, and ina moment his voice was heard shouting through the lodge for Jonas Ferrar, who, as Julian explained to Bertha, was the picturesque lodge keeper. Then came the sound of the banging of cupboards and table drawers, the upsetting of chairs and, following each such sound, a very barbarous oath from the groom. ‘“Take the reins for amoment, Bertha,’ paring to dismount. While his foot was on the iron stirrup the groom reap- peared with a key in his*hand. ‘“There’s not a damned soul—I beg your pardon, sir— being so long without a regular master, sir, I’m a bit wild in my speech—not a dam Oh, the old fool is away, and this is the only key in the lodge, sir.”’ The man was already fumbling with the key at the lock. ‘“That’s not the key,’’ said Julian. ‘‘What did Jonas mean by going off and leaving no one in charge of the lodge?”’ ‘I suppose he has got into the habit for the two years past, sir,’’ said the groom. ‘“‘Not a sign of ad Oh, we've all got into bad habits, sir.’’ Julian jumped down and ran into the lodge. He saw ina moment that whatever chance there might have been originally of his laying his hand upon the key, there was nonenow. ‘The groom had overturned everything in the room. Being a man, however, Mr. Charlton kicked about the fallen chairs and the cupboard drawers, swearing pretty freely all the time against the picturesque lodge keeper and his wife. The groom swore with subdued vehemence, now that his master had accepted this duty. The man was too well ’ said Julian, pre- trained to claim an equal footing with his master in this — CONNIELIOOKS (E(0)