The Argosy — page 189: what you’re looking at

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

172 The Mysteries of Heron Dyke. in the habit of showing to anybody, and would take in my message. Back he would come; or else Dr. Jago, or that sly-looking, smooth- tongued nurse, or perhaps Hubert Stone. But, no matter who came, each had the same tale to tell. The Squire had had a worse night than usual, or he was asleep, or he was too weak to-day to see any- one: whatever the excuse might be, I was never allowed to see him. It was the source of very considerable pain to me at the time, and I expressed myself rather strongly about it in my letters to Maria.” “There must have been something in all this—don’t you think so, sir?” returned Ella. ‘*‘ Something to conceal.” “It seems like it, my dear; it used to-seem like ittome. But I do not see what it could be; and I am sure I cannot imagine any- thing that could tend to peril your inheritance.” » “Nor I,” said Ella, ‘‘I wish I could. I mean I wish I could see any solution by which these doubts could be set at rest. The will was quite in order; Mr. Daventry tells me so F ‘‘ Having been drawn up by Mr. Daventry, you may be sure of that, my dear,” interrupted the Vicar. ‘The only one thing, he says, that could possibly render it invalid, is my uncle having died before his birthday,” continued Ella. ‘* And we know he did not die before it. He lived nearly a month after it.” | ‘“* T—suppose—he—did live ?” spoke Ella, with much hesitation. “Did live!” echoed the Vicar, in surprise. ‘‘ Why of course he did. People saw him and spoke with him. Don’t you know that the other Mr. Denison’s lawyer and his clerk came to the Hall two or three days subsequent to the Squire’s birthday, and had an inter- view with him ?—saw him ; conversed with him. How could they have done that had he not been living? The Squire went into one of his passions, it was said, dashed his beef-tea, cup and all, into the fire, and abused the lawyer to his face.” Ella could not helpasmile. ‘ Yes,” she said, ‘‘ I was told of that.” , == A> is ‘Then, what else is there to fear? For anyone to come to you and say that if certain facts were known to the world you would not be mistress of Heron Dyke, seems to me sheer nonsense—if not malice. Were I in your place, my dear Miss Winter, I should certainly trouble myself no further in the matter.” Ella shook her head. ‘‘ All these arguments seem so sound, so true—and yet I cannot feel satisfied. I am at a loss to know what more to do.” | ‘Do nothing,” said the Vicar decisively. ‘I think you must attach an exaggerated importance to the words. Some designing rascal it must have been who spoke them—wanting to swindle money out of you. Give him into custody should he apply again.” Remembering how impossible it was that he could apply again, a sad shade passed over Ella’scountenance. The Vicar saw it: and of course mistook it. He knitted his brow. Eomicbooksicom