The Argosy — page 281: what you’re looking at

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

262 The Mysteries of Heron Dyke. Putting down the hat he had taken up, Mr. Meath acknowledged that he would be glad of something. A tray of refreshments was brought in; and presently he departed as silently as he had come. A few days elapsed, during a portion of which Edward Conroy was away upon his own affairs. Close upon his return, Mr. Meath again made his way to Heron Dyke, calling, as before, in the dusk of the evening. Miss Winter had grown anxious as to the result of enquiries; and she told Edward Conroy that she should like to be present during the interview, if there were no objection. | There was no objection, Conroy said, and took her into the room with him. They all sat down together. ‘I have been more successful than I ventured to anticipate,” began Mr. Meath in his slow way—which Edward Conroy somewhat impatiently interrupted. ‘‘Then you have found Major Piper ? ” ‘J have found Major Piper, sir: I had very little difficulty in find- ing him. He is not at Cheltenham now; he is at Bath; though Cheltenham is his general place of residence. Major Piper is a retired Indian officer, well known and respected.” And the account of the interview may possibly read less complicated if related as it took place, instead of as repeated by Mr. Meath. He saw Major Piper at his lodgings at Bath: a little man, who had one of his gouty feet swathed in flannel. Mr. Meath disclosed his business, and put the malachite-and-gold sleeve-link into his hands. The Major recognised it at once, and smiled with pleasure. “‘ Ah,” said he, ‘‘I don’t forget this. It formed one out of a dozen, or so, small articles of value which disappeared from my dressing-case at Cheltenham under mysterious circumstances, It was about—yes—about four years ago. Ihad bought the jewellery in London, intending it as a present to my nephew on his twenty-first birthday. However, the very evening before it was to have been sent off, the things disappeared from my dressing-case.” ‘ ‘“‘ Had you any suspicions as to who could have taken them?” enquired Mr. Meath. ‘*No, I was utterly nonplussed: and am so still when I think of it,” answered the Major. ‘‘I had some friends that night at my rooms, just enough to make up a couple of rubbers, all gentlemen of position who were more or less known to me._ LEarly in the evening, when telling them what I had bought for my nephew, my man Tomp- kins brought in the dressing-case at my desire, and passed round the jewellery for the different guests to look at. After that, Tompkins took it away and put it back where he had found it—in one of the deep drawers in my dressing-table, but without locking it up; not, indeed, seeing any necessity for doing so. He ‘IT presume, sir, your man was trustworthy ?” interrupted the listener. ‘Perfectly so. ‘Tompkins had been with me for years in India Gomichbooks. com