Stories with a Vengeance — page 36: what you’re looking at

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

32 ‘ AT THE TUNNEL’S MOUTH. Menton’s cottage. Edwards approached|1 could bring, except I had to say he was and knocked. there P” “ The landlord of the ‘Green Man.’ We He had taken want you at once.” Menton opened the door. his coat off, and was about to retire for the night. Edwards put his hand upon his shoulder, und drew him out into the open air, “Do you know anything of young Ryland P” asked the landlord. “Yes; he had a fight with Tom Brindley to-night, and must have got the worst of it. His father and I found him in the tunnel three hours ago. He is lying hkea log in bed, without sense or reason. The doctor has been to him, and isn’t quite sure he'll ever recover.” | “What!” cried Edwards. “ How can this beP I tell you, Menton, there’s been foul play somewhere. A gentleman that was stopping at my place is missing to- night, and there’s a pool of blood in the tunnel.” “ About three-paris through P” “Yes,” replied the landlord. “In by the wall ?” asked Menton. “ Ay; in by the wall.” “That’s where we found Ryland. He was bleeding there. He must have fallen there after the fight.” “But what brings the stranger’s hat floating in the canal P” “Lord have mercy on us! What are we coming to? What is the matter? You are right; there must be foul play! But who did it?” cried the lock-keeper, dazed - with dismay. “If two men were walking through that tunnel, and one of them had any reason to quarrel with the other, he might, in trying to push the other into the canal, get pushe back himself against the wall. One man might be knocked senseless, the other might be drowned.” “Oh, oh, oh! You make it worse and worse, Mr. Edwards! Why should young Ryland quarrel with the stranger P” “Why should the stranger’s hat be found in the water, opposite where you found young Ryland senseless P” “Lord have mercy on us! It looks black !”” . “Tom Brindley says Ryland was not much hurt in the fight; that the stranger stopped the fight before much harm was done on either side, and that the two men went into the tunnel together.” “Tt looks black—I own it looks black! God help my Mary, if there should be any- thing init! I thought, when I came away from the mill-house, I had the worst news Google Menton asked, ‘“ Who is/| dead; and now this looks like worse news than it would be even if he was dead. Let us say nothing more about it just now, but go and see.” He went into the cottage, and returned with two boathooks and a lantern. With these and the lantern they had already brought the three men set off through the tunnel. Here, after a brief search in the water, they found the body of Mr. Mayfair, quite cold. Leavin the two lanterns beside the body, and Menton to watch it, Edwards and the potman set out for the village. They roused several of the people, the two constables among the rest, and informed the latter of the circumstances of the case, as far as they knew. Among those who were first stirring was Tom Brindley. There was much discussion inthe common-room of the “ Green Man,” which was converted for the occasion, with the consent of the police, into an informal inquiry office. Here Brindley repeated circumstantially his version of the affair ; and when pressed to account im some way for the awful occurrence, said he did not wish to have any more to say to it, for the sake of the neighbourhood, but asked if anything had been missed from the body. ‘Towards morning asearch was made, and it was found that the watch and money of the deceased was missing. Upon this, search was made here and there, and the watch of the late Mr. May- fair was found in the pocket of the still in- sensible Will Ryland. CHAPTER V. MARY’S EXPEDITION. THE litile village was filled with consterna- tion next morning. It could not, and it would not, believe that Will Ryland had | murdered this stranger for the sake of his money. And yet it was impossible, taking Brindley’s statements and the subsequent — facts imto account, to form any other theory of the crime. If Ryland and the stranger had gone into the tunnel together, if, subsequently, Ryland was found in- | an attitude as would naturally lead one to think that he had © from sensible and in suc fallen or been thrown backwards the edge of the water, and if in the water | almost directly opposite where he lay the | body of the stranger was found, less watch © and money, and the watch subsequently © discovered mm the pocket of Will Ryland, — there was a very ugly case indeed against that young man, But what had become of themoney? It | > a JOO S CO)