The Argosy — page 134: what you’re looking at

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

A Mystery. 11g seen Brook, does not know he has come home; he says the man he had with him was a stranger, to whom he was giving a lift.” Ellin looked grave for a moment ; then the smiles broke out again. “St. George must have been joking,” she cried; ‘‘ he cannot mean it. He happened to be at Worcester station yesterday when Mr. Brook arrived by the Birmingham train: we suppose he then offered to drive him home. Anyway, he did do it.” ‘But St. George denies that he did, Ellin,” I said. ‘““He will not deny it to me, Johnny. Gregory West, returning from a visit to some client at Spetchley, met them in the gig together.” The Squire listened like a man dazed. ‘‘I can’t make head or tail of it,’ cried he. ‘‘ What does St. George mean by denying that he brought Brook P—And where zs Brook ?” ‘“‘ Has nobody seen him ?” questioned Ellin. ‘Not a soul, apparently. Ellin, my girl,” added the Squire, ‘‘ we will walk back with you to your father’s, and get this cleared up. Come along, boys.” So. back we went to turn the tables upon St. George, Tod in a rapture of gratification. You might have thought he was treading upon eggs. We had it out this time in Mr. Delorane’s private office ; the Squire walked straight into it. Not but that ‘“‘having it out” must be regarded as a figure of speech, for elucidation seemed farther off than before, and the complications greater. Mr. Delorane and his head clerk were both bending over the same parchment when we entered. Ellin kissed her father, and turned to st. George. “Why have you been saying that you did not drive home William Brook?” she asked as they shook hands. ‘“A moment, my dear; let me speak,” interrupted the Squire, who never believed anybody’s explanation could be so lucid as his own. ‘‘ Delorane, I left you just now with an apology for having brought to you a cock-and-bull story through the misleading fancies of these boys ; but we have come back again to tell you the story’s true. Your daughter here says that it was William Brook that St. George had in his gig. And perhaps Mr. St. George”—giving that gentleman a sharp nod—“ will explain what he meant by denying it ?” ‘““I denied it because it was not he,” said Mr. St. George, not appearing to be in the least put out. “How can/I tell you it was Brook when it was not Brook? If it had been ——” “You met William Brook at the Worcester railway Stadia yesterday afternoon,” interrupted Ellin. ‘ Mrs. James Ashton saw you there ; saw the meeting. You weve at the station, were you not?” ‘TI was at the station,” readily replied St. George, ‘‘and Mrs. James Ashton may have seen me there, for all I know—I did not see her. But she certainly did not see William Brook. Or, if she did, I didn’t.” COMMICOOOKS.C©