The Argosy — page 187: what you’re looking at

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

A Secret of the Sea. 175 “‘ Morning, Cozzard,” said Sir Thomas. “I’ve just looked in to tell you that we’re off to London next week.” ‘‘ I’m mortal sorry to hear it, Sir Thomas.” “So am I sorry, Cozzard—very sorry.” “It’s all through that confounded ‘lection. I wish with all my heart that you’d lost it!” “So do I wish with all my heart that I’d lost it—only I wouldn’t for the world have her ladyship hear me say so.” ‘Lord! how we shall all miss you down here at the old place! But, there ! 1t seems months since we saw you about the fields, or riding Gray Dapple from one farm to another, and all through that con- founded lection. And now Gray Dapple’s that fat for want of exercise she can hardly get out o’ the stable door, and everything looks different since you took to those ’lectioneering ways.” ‘I am missed, then, a little bit, am I, Cozzard?” “T should think you just was, Sir Thomas. Why, the very dogs— Spot, and Ranger, and Lob—seem to miss you. I know they do.” Sir Thomas coughed and turned the subject. ‘‘ What I want you to do,” said he, “is to write me a long letter once a week while I’m away in London, telling me how everything is going on. Not but what I shall drop down and see you sometimes on a Saturday. You will telk me how the stock is getting on, and how the crops look, and give a look at the kitchen garden, and see that a couple of hampers of fresh vegetables are sent up every week, and “ But, Sir Thomas ——-! ” pleaded Cozzard, with a visible lengthen- ing of his thin visage. ‘I couldn’t put down half that, not if I was to write all day on Sunday. Six lines is the most as ever I could manage, and then there mustn’t be any long words in it.” “ Then I'll tell you what you shall do: you shall get my god-daughter, Sally, to do the writing part. You tell her what to say, and she'll put it down all right and ship-shape, and I'll bring her a new silk gown when I come back from London. And now get Gray Dapple saddled, and find my favourite aa You and I, Cozzard, will go round the farms this very morning.” It had been altogether a surprise to Pomeroy to find Miss Deane in the position of governess at Stammars. Was the coincidence of her being there at the same time as himself due altogether to accident, or was there some hidden purpose underlying it >—Was it, or was it not, con- nected in any way with the concealment by Kelvin of the contents of the sealed packet? And yet, how was it possible that Olive Deane could have any knowledge of the sealed packet? Matthew Kelvin was not a man who would be likely to take anyone into his confi- dence in such a matter. No; Miss Deane’s presence at Stammars must evidently be set down as one of those fortuitous events which comicbooks.c©