The Argosy — page 359: what you’re looking at

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

340 The Mysteries of Heron Dyke. “No; not till he got home. And he had the impudence to ask me this morning whether I had ¢aken it, because I helped to button © his coat,” added Philip. Captain Lennox looked at Philip, then at Maria, then at Philip again. ‘‘ He asked you whether you had taken it!” exclaimed the Captain. ‘Taken it for a lark. Asif I would do sucha thing! It’s true ] buttoned his coat for him, but I never saw or felt the box.” ‘‘T do not quite understand yet,” said Captain Lennox. ‘Tt seems that old Downes, just before he left, had his box out, handing it about for people to take pinches out of it. The Vicar took a pinch.” ‘‘T saw that,” interrupted Captain Lennox. ‘‘ They were standing by the fire. Two or three of us were round them. Old Miss Parraway was, for one, I remember; I was talking with her.” “Well,” rather ungraciously went on Philip, impatient at the interruption, ‘‘the Doctor took his leave close upon that. I took mine, and I found him in the hall here, awkwardly fumbling with his overcoat. I helped him to get it on, and he gave me a lift in his brougham as far as my way went.” ‘And when he got home he missed the box,” added Maria, concluding the story, as Philip stopped. ‘‘It is a sad loss—and so very strange where the box can be, and how it can have gone.” ‘Yes, it is strange—but I did not thank him for asking me whether I had taken it; there was a tone in his voice which seemed to imply a suspicion that I had—and not as a joke.” ‘‘ And did you?” said Captain Lennox. Philip, who had been turning to the door after his last speech, wheeled round to face the Captain. ‘Did I what?” “Take it for a joke?” ‘No, of course I did not. Good-bye, Maria.” ‘Here, you need not be so hasty, old fellow,” laughed Captain Lennox, following Philip out. ‘‘ You are as cranky as can be to-day. Of course you did not steal the box, Cleeve; and of course I am not likely to think it. If I did, I should say so to your face,” added the Captain, his light laugh deepening. ‘ But—I say—do you know what this puts me in mind of ?” ‘No. =What?” “*Of Mrs. Carlyon’s jewels. ‘They disappeared in the same mys- terlous way.” Philip had the outer door open, when at this moment the Vicar turned in at the entrance gate. He shook hands cordially with them both. ‘‘T have been up to Heron Dyke,” spoke he; ‘and have met with the usual luck—non-admittance to the Squire. I must say I think they might let him see me.” ‘“Tt seems to me, sir, that they let him see nobody: for my part, Gomichbooks.¢co