The Argosy — page 299: what you’re looking at

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

278 Sandstone Lorr. was anything but strong. He proposed to take me to the Torr for the first night of my return, and give mea bed there; and the following — day the communication could be made to Annet at Pitchley’s farm, and then I might follow it as soon as I pleased.* It all seemed to me feasible ; quite the right way of going to work; in fact, the only way: I thanked Stephen, and came down here with him in all con- fidence.” ‘“‘Good patience !” cried the Squire. “‘ And you had no suspicions, Frank Radcliffe !—knowing what Stephen was! ” “TI never knew he would do such a dastardly deed as this. How could I know it?” “Oh, come along!” returned the Squire, beginning to stumble down the narrow, dark stairs. ‘‘ We'll have the law of him.” The key of the chain had been found hanging on a nail outside the door, out of poor Frank’s reach. He was soon free; but staggered a little when he began to descend the stairs. Dufiham laid hold of him behind, and Tod went before. ‘Thank God! thank God!” he broke out with reverent emotion, when the bright sun burst upon him through the windows, after passing the dark lumber room. “I feared I might never see full daylight again.” f “Have you any clothes?” asked Duffham. “ This coat’s in rags.” “T’m sure I don’t know whether I have or not,” replied Frank. ‘The coat is all I have had upon me since coming here.” “‘Becca’s a beast,” putin Tod. ‘‘And I hope Stephen will have his neck stretched.” Eunice Gibbon was nowhere to be seen below. ‘The premises were deserted. She had made a rush to her brother’s, the gamekeeper’s lodge, to warn Becca of what was taking place. We started for Dyke Manor, Frank in our midst, leaving the Torr, and its household gods, including the cackling fowls and the dinnerless pigs, to their fate. Mr. Brandon met us at the second field, and he took Frank’s hand i in silence. “God bless you, lad! So you have been shut up there !” ‘* And chained to a stake in the wall,” cried the Squire. ‘“* Well, it seems perfectly unbelievable that such a thing should take place in these later days. It reads like an episode of the dark ages.” ““Won’t we pay out Master Radcliffe for ’t!” put in old Jones, at work with his imaginary handcuffs again. ‘‘I should say, for my part, it ud be a’most a case 0’ transportation to Botany Bay.” Frank Radcliffe was ensconced within Dyke Manor (sending Mrs. Todhetley into a shock of hysterics, for she had known nothing), and Duffham undertook the task of breaking it to Frank’s wife. Frank, when his hair should have been trimmed up a little, was to put himself into a borrowed coat and to follow on presently. Eomichbooks.¢co m