The Argosy — page 345: what you’re looking at

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

324 | In the Dead of Night. that another pony had been put into his particular stall and was at that moment engaged in munching his particular truss of hay. Over- come by his feelings, he turned deliberately round and started for home at agentle trot. Thus disturbed, Tom and Jane came back to sublunary matters with a laugh, and a little confusion on Jane’s part. Tom drove her back as far as the toll-gate and then shook hands and left her. Jane reached home as one in a blissful dream. Three days later Tom received a note in the Squire’s own crabbed hand-writing, asking him to go up to Pincote as early as possible. He was evidently wanted for something out of the ordinary way. Wonder- ing a little, he went. The Squire received him in high good humour and was not long in letting him know why he had sent for him. ‘“T have had some fellows here from the railway company,” he said. ‘‘They want to buy Prior’s Croft.” Tom’s eyebrows went up a little. ‘‘I thought, sir, it would prove to be a profitable speculation by and by. Did they name any price?” ‘‘No, nothing was said as to price. They simply wanted to know whether I was willing to sell it.” ‘And you told them that you were ? ” ‘*T told them that I would take time to think about it. - didn’t want to seem too eager, you know.” ‘“That’s right, sir. Play with them a little before you finaly hook them.” ‘‘From what they said, they want to build a station on the Croft.” ‘‘ Yes, a new passenger station, with plenty of siding accommoda- tion.” ‘¢ Ah ! you know something about it, do you?” . “T know this much, sir, that the proposal of the new company to run a fresh line into Duxley has put the old company on their mettle. In place of the dirty ram-shackle station with which we have all had to be content forso many years, they are going to give us a new station, handsome and commodious; and Prior’s Croft is the place named as the most probable site for the new terminus.” “Hang me, if I don’t believe you knew something of this all along !” said the Squire. ‘“‘If not, how could you have raised that heavy mortgage for me? ” There was a twinkle in Tom’s eyes but he said nothing. Mr. Cul- pepper might have been still further surprised had he known that the six thousand pounds was Tom’s own money, and that, although the mortgage was made out in another name, it was to Tom alone that he was indebted. “Have you made up your mind as to the price you intend to -, sir P” . .““No, not yet. In fact, it was partly to consult you on that point that I sent for you.” Gomicbooks.co