The Argosy — page 212: what you’re looking at

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

Caramel Cottage. 195 never love another as she had loved him; but she was her father’s child, and held him sacred. ‘Why must you go?” demanded Mr. Barbary, as, having finished a plate of broiled mushrooms, he began upon a couple of eggs with an appetite that the night’s work did not seem to have spoiled. . ‘The air—the walk—may do me good.” ‘Well, you know best, child. I suppose Todhetley will be off to Evesham after that dog of theirs,” Mr. Barbary went on to remark. ‘Master Dick Standish must be a bold sinner to steal the dog one day and parade the open streets with it the next! If———What is it now, Joan?” For old Joan had come in with a face of surprise. ‘‘ Master,” she cried, ‘“‘ has Tom Noah been at work here this morning ?” “Not that I know of,” replied Mr. Barbary. Tom Noah, an industrious young fellow, son to Noah, the gardener, was occasionally employed by Mr. Barbary to clean up the yard and clear the garden of its superfluous rubbish. ‘Our back’us has been scrubbed out this morning, sir,” went on Joan, still in astonishment. ‘‘ And it didn’t want it. Who in the world can have come in and gone and done it ?” “Nonsense,” said Mr. Barbary. ‘But it has, master; scrubbed clean; the flags are all wet still. And the rain-water barrel’s a’most empty, nearly every drop of water drawn out of it! Pd not say but the yard has had a bit of a scrubbing, too, near the garden, as well as the back’us.” WNeaceade 1” repeated Mr. Barbary, his light tone becoming irritable. ‘‘ You see it has been raining! the rain has drifted into the brewhouse, that’s all; I left the door open last night. There! go back to your work.” Joan was a simple-natured woman, but she was neither silly nor blind, and she knew that what she said was true. Rapidly turning the matter over in her mind, she came to the conclusion that Tom Noah had been in “unbeknown to the master,” and so left the subject. ‘““T suppose I may take out the spare jack now, sir?” she waited to say. “'Take out anything you like,” replied Mr. Barbary. Afraid of her tell-tale face, Katrine had moved to the window, apparently to look at the weather. ‘Too well she knew who had scrubbed out the place, and why. The rain had ceased when she set off on her short walk—for it was not much more than a stone’s throw to the Manor; the sun was struggling from behind the clouds, blue sky could be seen. Alone with herself and the open country, Katrine gave vent to her pent-up spirit, which she had not dared to do indoors ; sighs of anguish and of pain escaped her; she wondered whether it would be wrong if she prayed to die. But someone was advancing to meet her, and she composed her countenance. CORnNIClOOKS ©) (SO