The Argosy — page 268: what you’re looking at

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

The Story of Charles Strange. 247. had been on the one left by George. It was one of their sample barley bags. JI wondered if they were the same sovereigns. Where had it been? Who had taken it? And who had returned it? I rang the bell, and then called to Watts, who was coming up to answer it, to bring Leah also. It was my duty to tell them, especially Leah, of the money’s restitution, as they had been inmates of the house when it was lost. Watts only stared and ejaculated ; but Leah, with some colour, for once, in her pale cheeks, clasped her hands. ‘Oh, sir, I’m thankful you have found it again!” she exclaimed. ‘“ I’m heartily thankful!” “So am I, Leah,” I said. ‘‘ Though the mystery attending the transaction is as great as ever ; indeed, more so.” It certainly was. ‘They went down again, and I sat musing over the problem. But nothing could I make out of it. One moment I argued that the individual taking it (whoever it might be) must have had temporary need of money, and, the difficulty over, had now restored the money. ‘The next, I wondered whether anyone could have taken the bag inadvertently, and had now discovered it. I locked the bag safely up, wrote a letter to George Coney, and then went out to confide the news to Arthur Lake. Taking the short cuts and passages that lead from Essex Street to the Temple, as I generally did when bound for Lake’s chambers, I was passing onwards, when I found myself called to—or I thought so. Standing still in the shade, leaning against the railings of the Temple gardens, was a slight man of middle height: and he seemed to say “ Charley.” Glancing in doubt, half stopping as I did so, yet thinking I must have been mistaken, I was passing on, when the voice came again. “ Charley ! ” I stopped then. And I declare that in the revulsion it brought me you might have knocked me down with a feather; for it was Tom Heriot. ‘‘] was almost sure it was you, Charles,” he said in a low voice, ‘ but not quite sure.” I had not often had such a scare as this. My heart, with pain and dismay, beat as if it meant to burst its bonds. “Can it possibly be you?” I cried. ‘*What brings you here? Why have you come again ?” ‘ Reached London this morning. Came here when dusk set in, thinking I might have the luck to see you or Lake, Charley.” ** But why have you left Scotland? You were safer there.” * Don’t know that I was. And I had grown tired to death OF 1k.” It will end in death, or something like it, if you persist in staying here.” Tom laughed his gay, ringing laugh. I looked round to see that no one was about, or within hearing. cConnicloooks (CO)