The Argosy — page 126: what you’re looking at

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

A Mystery. IIL ‘Tt was St. George,” persisted Tod. ‘‘Well, that might have been. It looked like his grey horse. Where was he coming from, I wonder?” “Mr. St. George went to Worcester this morning, sir,” interposed. Thomas, who had come in with some glasses, the Squire having asked for some hot brandy-and-water. ‘‘Giles saw his man Japhet this afternoon, and he said his master had gone off in his gig to Worcester for the day.” ‘Then he must have picked up Brook at Worcester,” said Tod, in his decisive way. ‘“‘ May be so,” conceded the Squire, coming round to reason. ‘‘ But I don’t see what they could be doing in Dip Lane.” Il. THE storm had disappeared the following morning, but the ground was white with a thin coating of snow; and in the afternoon, when we started for Timberdale to call on William Brook, the sky was blue and the sun shining. Climbing up from the Ravine and crossing the field beyond it to the high road, we met Darbyshire, the surgeon, striding along as fast as his legs would carry him. ‘Vou seem to be in a hurry,” remarked the Squire. “Just sent for to a sick patient over yonder,” replied Darbyshire, nodding to some cottages in the distance. ‘‘ Dying, the report is ; supposed to have swallowed poison. JDaresay it will turn out to be a case of cucumber.” He was speeding on when Tod asked whether he had seen William Brook yet. Darbyshire turned to face him, looking surprised. “Seen Brook yet! No: how should I see him? Brook’s not come, is he?” “He got home last night. St. George drove him from Worcester in his gig,” said Tod, and went on to explain that we had passed them in Dip Lane. MDarbyshire was uncommonly pleased. Brook was a favourite of his. ‘‘T am surprised that I have not seen him,” he cried; ‘‘I have been about all the morning. St. George was in Worcester yesterday, I know. Wonder, though, what induced them to make a pilgrimage through Dip Lane!” Just, you see, as the rest of us had wondered. We went on towards Mrs. Brook’s. But in passing Mr. Delorane’s, Aunt Hester’s head appeared above the Venetian blind of the dinine- _room. She began nodding cordially. ‘“¢ How lively she looks,” exclaimed the Squire. ‘‘ Pleased that he is back, I take it. Suppose we go in?” The front door was standing open, and we went in unannounced, Aunt Hester, sitting then at the little work-table, making herself a cap with lace and pink ribbons, got up and tried to shake hands with all three of us at once. COMnICLOO© SS (S(O)