The Argosy — page 138: what you’re looking at

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

123 CHRISTOBEE: By Joyce DARRELL, AUTHOR oF “ THE SAPPHIRE CROSS.” -f- PART THE SECOND. i% ITHIN a few hours of Miss Muillicent’s death, Sir Edward had again appeared in hot haste at the Hall. ‘“‘ Have you heard ?” he said breathlessly to Mr. Hillyer, who had heard nothing, his sister’s condition during the previous day having excluded him from the outer world. ‘It is the most singular thing,” continued Sir Edward. “I went away from home yesterday, overwhelmed at the awful fate, as I sup- posed, of my poor friend. I had important business in York, and consequently fixed the inquest for to-morrow. Last night, when I reached home, my butler met me with the most unexpected story. The servants, who, like myself, were at first completely deceived, had gradually made the discovery that the body brought in is not Vandyken’s ; and I have now reason to believe it is that of a man named Clarence Dare.” Before Mr. Hillyer could recover from his surprise, Mr. Sherlock and Godfrey entered the room, and to them the news was immedi- ately communicated. ‘‘ But how did the mistake arise in the first instance ? Who found the body ?” asked Mr. Sherlock. “Some of the men of the farm. Vandyken not appearing at dinner time I thought it likely he had missed his way on the moors, and I sent out some labourers with lanterns to look for him. They wentas far as the old Quarry without meeting a soul. ‘There one fellow, sharper than the rest, noticed that the ground was broken, and bore marks of a fall or a struggle. By the hight of their bull’s-eyes they fancied they saw a dark mass at the bottom of the pit. One of them descended, found the body, mistook it for my guest’s, and brought it home. It so happened that the footman who habitually waited on Vandyken was away; the women who laid out the corpse had never seen him close, and the rest of the household were as deceived as myself. The truth is the body was so disfigured that we all shrank from more than a cursory glance at it.” ‘You mean the face was disfigured : but was the resemblance other- wise striking,” asked Godfrey, speaking for the first time. | ‘“‘ Most striking. Height, build, hair—all are alike. This Dare, if he it be, has a long, white beard like Vandyken’s, and even the colour CONnnicloolxs (SO) an