The Argosy — page 114: what you’re looking at

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

The Mystery of Allan Grale. 99 ‘“‘T say, d’ye think we should leave it here, Dan, and say nought about finding it ?” cried the elder boy. ‘What for?” said the bolder Dan. ‘“ We didn’t go to find it ; we see it lying here, we couldn’t help finding of it. They can’t do nothing to us for that.” Marking the exact spot where the stick had lain, the boys went slowly towards the high road, carrying it with them. There they met nurse Kate, Mrs. Grale’s old servant, and showed her the stick. It threw her into considerable agitation. ‘That stick has not come up for nothing,” said she, with a dreary emphasis. ‘‘But don’t you go taking it to Moorland House, you boys, a-frightening the poor missis. You take it straight to Dr. Palmer’s, and tell him where you found it. He isa kind and clever gentleman, and will know what to think on’t, and what will be right to do.” The two lads followed the advice, and turned towards Dr. Palmer’s. But it was not to be expected that they could pass their friends and neighbours on the road without pouring forth the news, so that a good many people collected about them—and that was the small crowd seen by Mrs. Grale from her carriage. Various comments were made, and covert hints dropped as to the depth of the Black Poo! and its capacity for keeping all sorts of terrible secrets. For a fear had suddenly arisen that young Mr. Grale might have been drowned in it. The village shoemaker, David Sherlock, who lked to be first and foremost in all matters of public gossip, undertook to explain for the two boys at Dr. Palmer’s. But when they reached the house, only the young ladies were at home. Agnes and her sister came forward, and heard all there was to hear. It was decided that the stick should be left in the hall, to await the return of the Doctor. “ And please,” said Agnes, ‘‘will none of you talk about this for an hour or two—not till you have heard from papa; or some exag- gerated and alarming report might get carried to the family at Moor- land House.” The shoemaker could not resist giving himself the importance of a last word. Allowing his neighbours to pass out, he lingered behind. ‘““T reckon there’s trouble in store for that house, young ladies. I’m much afeard on’t.” Agnes laid her hand on her sister’s shoulder as soon as they were alone. ‘‘ Maria Vivian has been right, Lettice. She always said that Allan was dead.” There, on the hall table, where John Rafe had put it down, lay the stick, which both of the girls knew quite well. They could not leave it there. Agnes lifted it up, carried it into the dining-room, and laid it across the arms of her father’s big chair. She shivered as she did so. ‘ Shut the window, Letty,” she said: “surely the day is growing chilly.” COnniclooolks (CO)