The Argosy — page 213: what you’re looking at

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

196 The Village Blacksnuth. Mrs. Canter had scarcely finished speaking when Mark Brown * knocked at the door, whereupon the howls subsided into sobs. ‘“ Law, Mark, what a start you have given me! Who'd have thought of seeing you? Come in and get a good warm, while I see after the dinner. I am rather late to-day, but I have had sucha trouble with the children: those three there are all in disgrace. Don’t you even look at them, Mark, please; I have just been chastising them, and Mary Jane is as bad: she is getting to a masterful age, so I have sent her up to her bedroom. And what news do you bring from Woodford ?” As Mrs. Canter talked, she was busying herself about the dinner; and Mark being very hungry, and finding he was to be treated to liver and bacon, endeavoured to hide the disappointment he felt at not finding Janet. While the liver was frying, Mark regaled his hostess with the Woodford news. There wasn’t much. Miss Vera’s love-affair he sup- posed rightly Norah knew of; folks did say his master was going to marry again, but he did not know how true it was; leastways Miss Vera knew nothing about it he was sure; and having thoroughly discussed his master’s affairs, Mark descended to village gossip as he ate his dinner. ‘ Reuben is very dull now Janet has gone away,” said Mark at last, hoping to get some news of her whereabouts out of Mrs. Canter. ‘ Ah, Iam afraid he is, but Woodford was too cold for Janet ; she isn’t very strong.” ‘“ And where is she gone to? Nobody seems to know,” said Mark. ‘That is more than I can tell you,” replied Mrs. Canter. ‘¢ Mother, Cousin Janet must ———” began Jack, forgetful of his mother’s warning, in his anxiety to inform her and their guest of Janet’s probable hiding-place. | “Oh, you will, will you? Come with me,” said Mrs. Canter, seizing little Jack by one arm and transferring him and his plate to the laundry, Jack sobbing and begging for mercy as he went. “There, don’t cry any more ; stay and eat your dinner here like a good boy, and I'll forgive you this time as long as you forgot,” said Mrs. Canter, who was really a fond if a strict mother. And leaving Jack, who was her favourite child, by the copper fire, she returned to keep watch over the other boys. In her brief absence Mark had discovered Janet’s hat hanging on a peg just inside the laundry, which opened out of the kitchen. Norah had forgotten it was there till she saw by Mark’s face he had recognised it, but she was equal to the occasion, and took the bull by the horns. ‘That Mary Jane, what a tiresome child she is! MHere’s her hat hanging up in the laundry. It used to be Janet’s, but she is very CORNIELOO_KSareoyinal