The Argosy — page 113: what you’re looking at

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

The Master of Greylands. 10I There was no dinner for poor Thomas Hill that day; there was no lunch for his master : the hour's perplexities were all in all. On the previous evening, some stranger had arrived at Stilborough, had put up at the chief inn there, the Turk’s Head ; and then, after inquiring the private address of Mr. Peter Castlemaine’s head clerk had betaken himself thither. Thomas Hill was seated at his tea when the gentleman was shown in. It proved to be a Mr. Fosbrook from London: and the moment the clerk heard the name, Fosbrook, and realised the fact that the owner of it was in actual person before him, he turned as cold as a stone, for his presence bespoke danger to Mr. Peter Castlemaine. That he had come down to seek explanations which might no longer be put off, the clerk felt sure of: and the fact of his seeking out Az instead of his master, proved that he suspected something was more than wrong. ‘The clerk had known Mr. Fosbrook in the years gone by. Thomas Hill dared not afford explanation himself, for he knew not what it would be safe to say, what not. He induced Mr. Fosbrook to return to his inn, undertaking to bring his master to wait on him there. To the banker's house he would not take the stranger ; for the gaiety, of which it was that night the scene, was not altogether a pleasant thing to show to a creditor. Leaving Mr. Fosbrook at the Turk’s Head he came on. Mr. Peter Castlemaine went at once to theinn. He did not dare do otherwise. The interview was not a long one; for the banker, pleading the fact of having friends at home, postponed it until thesmorning. It was with this gentleman that his morning had been spent; that he had now, half-after one o’clock, just come home from. With the weary look in his face, and the more than weary pain at his heart. ‘¢ And what is the result, sir?” asked Thomas Hill as they sat together. ‘‘ The result is, that he will wait a few days, Hill; three or four, he says. Perhaps that may be made five or six: I don’t know. After that—if he is not satisfied by tangible proofs that things are right and not wrong, so far as he is concerned—there will be no further waiting.” ‘‘ And the storm must burst ? ” ‘¢ The storm must burst,” echoed Peter Castlemaine. ‘‘Oh but, sir, my dear master, what can be done in those few poor days?” cried Thomas Hill in agitation. ‘‘ Nothing. You must have more time allowed you.” ‘I had much ado to get that, Hill. I had to Lie for it,” he added in a lower tone. ‘Do you see a chance yourself, sir? ”’ “Only one. There is a chance; but it is a very remote one. That last venture of mine has turned up trumps: I had the news by the mail this morning: and if I can realise the funds in time, the present danger may be averted.” ee = - Vk ECORNICLOOO ——