The Argosy — page 287: what you’re looking at

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

266 | In the Dead of Night. as I was driving home between ten andeleven? That you didn’t shout out to me: ‘ Hullo, Baldry, is that you, old boy?’ That I didn’t stop the mare for five minutes, while we talked about the weather and such like? That you didn’t offer me your box, and that I didn’t take out of ita pinch of that identical snuff which nobody but you in all Duxley makes use of? Do you mean to stand and tell me all that?” “* Baldry,” said Hoskyns, “for you to make sucha statement as that is to prove that last night you must have been either crazy or drunk. Last night I never left the house after eight o’clock ; as my servant could certify on oath. And as for the Thornfield road, I tell you once more that I have not set foot on it since last Christmas.” ‘“ Ned,” shouted Baldry to someone inside, “‘ come you here a minute.” The summons was responded to by a yellow-haired youth of sixteen. ‘““At what hour did I reach home last night?” asked Baldry. ‘The clock had just struck eleven as you drove into the yard, r answered Ned. “Did I tell you, or did I not, that I had <r and spoken to someone a few minutes previously ? ” ‘You said that you had just parted from heeded Hoskyns. That you had had five minutes’ talk with him, and a pinch out of his box,” answered the lad, without a moment’s hesitation. “There! what did I tell you?” said Baldry, triumphantly. ‘* Baldry, I give you my word of honour,” said Hoskyns, “‘ that was not out of the house after eight o’clock, and that I never met you yesterday at all—indeed, I’ve not seen you to speak to you for nearly a week.” ‘Evidently a case of mistaken identity,” said Tom. ‘Mistaken identity be hanged!” said the irate wine merchant. ‘‘ How about the snuff-box ? Could I be mistaken in that? Not likely. No—no. I respect old friends, but I’ll take the evidence of my own senses in preference to any man’s word, however long I’ve known him.” And with these words, Baldry retired into the recesses of his counting- house, and shut the door behind him with a bang. Hoskyns and Tom resumed their walk down the street. ‘‘An extraordinary circumstance, very,” said the lawyer. “I am quite at a loss how to explain it.” “‘ Baldry was always noted as being fond of his own spirits, wasn’t he?” asked Tom. | “He was indeed, poor man: and I am afraid the habit clings to him still He must have been in liquor last evening. That is the only way in which I can account for his hallucination.” | (To be continued.) Eomichbooks.co * ea —— i Liye —— ——— — —<- i-—- -_ =