The Argosy — page 383: what you’re looking at

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

362 The Village Blacksmith. Mark had been engaged in sweeping the drive when he was accosted by a familiar voice, and on looking round found himselt close to an unfamiliar face. ‘Well, Mark, and how are you getting on?” ‘¢ None the better for seeing you,” returned Mark, with his habitual courtesy. ‘ How is your arm? Good shot your young lady is, isn’t she?” continued the man with a grin. Mark swore an audible oath. ‘Go ahead, your time is getting short ; your case begins to-morrow, doesn’t it ? ” asked the stranger. ‘What has that to do with you?” said Mark savagely. Nothing ; but it would be rather awkward for you if that fellow Freeman were to turn up, wouldn’t it ?” Mark turned as pale as death and leaned over the gate to support himself, for his knees shook under him. ‘That was a shabby trick you played him, stealing those diamonds before you handed him the case,” said the man, who was on the opposite side of the gate to Mark, and was standing with his arms folded on the top of it. “It is a lie; I never touched the diamonds,” said Mark. “ Free- man had them and never gave me so much as a shilling for my share in the work.” ‘That is false ; the case was empty,” interrupted the stranger. _" Fiow do you know that?” said Mark in astonishment. ‘ Because I picked it up. Look here,” and the man pulled off his sealskin cap and with it his false grey hair and beard, and showed the clean-shaven face of Freeman. ‘Freeman !” ejaculated Mark, in a terror-stricken voice. Yes, [am Freeman. And just listen here, Mark Brown : you hand them diamonds over to me to-day and you'll never hear of me again ; refuse to do so and you'll hear me give evidence against you to-mor- row ; that is what I am down here for. Now, I’ll give you five minutes. to decide. Hand me the diamonds and it will be all right for you ; refuse, and I go straight from here to the Captain and turn Queen’s evidence against you to save the young lady. Which is it to be?” ‘I can’t give you the diamonds ; I have not seen them ; I swear I have not,” said Mark. | ‘You swore falsely the other day. It is no use trying that game on with me. Give me the diamonds or I go to the Captain.” ‘“T have not seen them; I have not touched them,” whimpered Mark in an agony of fear. ‘All right; I am off to Captain Raleigh. T’ll leave you my wig as a legacy, for I am not sure that you are not speaking the truth for once in your life ; and if so, we have both een made fools of by some one cleverer than either of us. Anyhow, if I were you, I’d be absent when they want me to-morrow.” And before Mark had sufficiently re- Gomichbooks.co