The Argosy — page 116: what you’re looking at

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

The Mystery of Alian Grale. IOI for you. I got it from aman named Webster, who used to live next door here.” “Of course I shall buy another ; and I should like to see Webster and tell him how sorry I am,” added Charles. ‘‘ Where does he live, do you say? Next door?” ‘““ He does not live here at all now. He has gone away ; taken to a business ever so far off.” “Dear me, I wish I could have seen him,” exclaimed Charles. “Now you speak of the name, I believe it was printed on the handle of the hammer—‘ Webster ’—and the name of the place, ‘Sladford.’ Yes. I shall write and explain.” “Don’t trouble writing to Webster about it,” advised Mark. ‘ Buy the new hammer, use it, and then return it with an apology for its long detention, and an explanation of its not being the same article. That will be the best plan. And now, Charlie, what is going on at Dering? Tell me all the news of the dear old place. Don’t I often wish I was back there ! ” Charles told him all the news he could remember—which was not much, he laughingly said, for there was no especial news totell. The General was getting better and better at the Court; the Palmers were all right ; and the Grales were pretty well. ‘I think,” he added, in conclusion, ‘‘ that Allan Grale’s prolonged absence is telling rather sharply upon the old lady.” “That’s it,” cried Mark Acland, quickly, “‘ that’s what I want to ask you about. Do you know where young Grale is?” ‘No, I don’t,” replied Charles. ‘He left home suddenly, saying nothing to anybody, I believe, and he did not come back again. That’s some months ago.” “Do you know whether there was anything went wrong with him before he left ?” was Acland’s next question. “Mark,” said Charles, with his simple half-comical gravity, ‘it is not easy to know the truth about one’s neighbours, though it is quite easy to repeat the gossip concerning them.” The young chemist did not seem to notice the implied caution. He had his own special object in view. | ‘“Do you happen to recollect the month? Was it in October ?” Charles reflected for a moment. ‘‘ Yes,” he said, ‘‘ he went away in October.” Mark Acland had taken up a ledger and was rapidly turning over the leaves. He stopped at one of the pages dated in the month of October, the preceding year. Then he turned the book towards Charles: who saw sundry entries therein, and at the very bottom of the page, on its margin, the letter S. ‘What do you think that stands for ?” asked Acland. ‘What, indeed ?” returned Charles. ‘I cannot tell.” “Tt stands for ‘suicide,’” said the other succinctly. And looked steadily into young Carr’s face. CoOnnicloolkks (CO)