The Argosy — page 199: what you’re looking at

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

182 The Village Blacksmith. and distinguished a visitor with befitting solemnity, she went into violent hysterics ; which attack so absorbed the attention of the other female servants that Mark and the police were left to conduct their search for Vera alone, the butler flatly refusing to have anything to do with the matter. The policemen were by no means energetic, for neither of them in the least believed that Vera, whom they had known from a child, was guilty, and they privately hoped the Archdeacon would return before she was discovered and find bail for her, and thus relieve them of the necessity of arresting her. The Archdeacon was not expected home until four o’clock, but he returned an hour earlier, some pre- sentiment of evil at home having induced him to hurry off by an earlier train. All the day his thoughts had been with Vera and the robbery, and his first visitation was conducted in a very slack manner, so that the Ritualistic Rector who, having heard the new Archdeacon’s views were evangelical, had hidden his candlesticks and flower-vases, his chasubles and biretta in his own house, and relegated the fald-stool at which he heard confessions in the vestry to the coal-hole pro tem., considered these good works were superero- gatory ; since the Archdeacon, having inquired if the church were insured and the due number of services performed, seemed to con- sider his duty done and, after a hurried luncheon, took his departure ; leaving the Rector in profound ignorance as to whether he belonged to the High Church, the Low Church, the Broad Church or the No Church school. On his return he was met in the hall by his wife, who drew him into his study and, with many professions of sympathy, informed him that the police were in the house to arrest Vera, who could not be found. “Arrest Vera! Ridiculous, my dear! She is my daughter, and that is sufficient, I hope! As if anyone would dare to arrest a Ryot- ‘Tempest! There is some mistake. Where are the police?” ex- claimed the Archdeacon. ‘‘'There is no mistake, Ryot. They have a warrant, which I have seen, for her arrest on a charge of wounding Mark Brown with intent to kill.” ‘Stuff and nonsense; he wounded himself. I will soon send these fellows about their business, or if I can’t, my solicitor will. Ill have Mark arrested on a counter-charge.” Mrs. Ryot-Tempest turned paler. Her plot was not succeeding, her prey had escaped, her husband was asserting himself in a way she kad not deemed him capable of doing; she must quell this in- subordinate spirit; he must learn he could not take Vera’s part against his wife with impunity. She had been magnanimous; she must show him she could be severe also. “Do; but there will still be the charge of robbery to answer,” she said quietly. CORNICE OOO Sno