The Argosy — page 385: what you’re looking at

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

The Village Blacksmith. 367 thinking of, but their mother, whom he had truly loved, though he was marrying another wife the next day. Unless—there was a fear, a chance, a hope—Mrs. Jamieson might decline to connect herself with the blacksmith’s family. He must go and see her, and communicate the disastrous news. But then he re- membered Janet had to be found before he would be allowed to attend to his own affairs; so he went home, intending to send Mark out to institute inquiries. There, as he entered the house, to his dismay, he heard Norah’s voice inquiring for him, a sound about as welcome to him as the baying of the hounds to the hunted stag ; but welcome or unwelcome he must consent to see her, and learn if Janet Foreman ; no, Janet Tempest—Rex must drop the Ryot—were found. Mrs. Canter was a woman who rose to the occasion. In cases of emergency she was invaluable. Water was her element, whether we take it figuratively, as a type of trouble and unrest, or literally as the medium through which her professional duties were performed. She revelled in troubles, she delighted in washing. When things all went smoothly around her, and there was no washing to be done, her temper was ruffled. But now Mr. Tempest knew by the subdued tone she was speaking in something serious had happened. Norah was calm and self-possessed, her surroundings were therefore in a state of chaos. ‘‘ Here is the master. Reuben is very bad indeed, sir. The doctor says itll go very hard with him,” said Mrs. Canter, as the Rector entered the hall. ‘Indeed, Norah, I am very sorry to hear it ; what is the matter ?” ‘¢ Brain-fever. The doctor says he must have had a terrible shock last night. He is delirious, and keeps sayin ” ‘¢ Come into my room, Norah,” interrupted the Rector. “ And tell Mark I want him,” he added to Mary. ‘© All he says is, ‘The child, the child, I have lost the child,’ but whether he saw Janet last night or not I can’t make out; he does not mention her name,” proceeded Norah. ‘“‘ Perhaps he means the baby,” suggested the Rector. *‘ He does not know she has one, unless she told him last night. If so that would account for the shock, as Janet never told him she. was married, I am sure. But it’s no use wondering what a delirious man means, The worst of it is, sir, there is no sign of Janet. I have been up to the cottage since I saw you; the key was in Reuben’s pocket ; and she does not seem to have been home at all. Yet Mark Brown says she called him last night.” ‘Come in, Mark,” interrupted the Rector, as Mark knocked at the study-door. ‘“ Perhaps you can help us. Just be good enough to tell us as quickly as possible how you found Reuben Foreman last night. How came you to know he was lying insensible by the canal, Mark?’ “‘ Well, sir, it was the mussels,” said Mark. “The mussels! what do you mean ?” COMM @ AOC Ss (GO) uf