The Argosy — page 30: what you’re looking at

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

The House of Halliwell. sy “Tt’s upset for a guinea!” cried Aunt Copp, “and he'll come home with his arm in a sling. He will believe me another time. Just look at Hester! If ever I saw such a girl!” Hester’s face had turned white and rigid. She stood with her hands pressed upon her chest. But she spoke calnily. ‘Mamma, I should like to go and hear what it is. Anything is better than suspense. Let me.” “ T’ll go too,” said Aunt Copp. ‘‘ Where’s that shawl I had on in the garden? Oh, here. Hester, here’s your mamma’s. ‘Throw it over your shoulders.” They went rapidly down the walk, Alfred with them. Aunt Copp talked incessantly, but Hester never spoke. Before the Wheatsheaf »¢ inn five or six persons were gathered. Aunt Copp marched into the midst of them. ‘How d’ye do, Mr. Gibbons? Has anything hap- pened to the Harkaway “Your servant, ma’am,” answered the landlord. ‘We are afraid there has.” “Then you don’t know it?” ‘“Ma’am, we have not heard anything ; but the Harkaway never was an hour behind time before.” “TI never knew it more than ten minutes out since it took to run,” added the landlady, who wore a smart cap, with blue ribbons. “ Jones is the best time-keeper on the road. ‘There’s one thing to be said— he is sure to have a good load to-night.” ‘“ He wouldn’t be an hour out of his time for any load as ever went on the coach, he wouldn’t,” said the landlord. “Will you please to walk into our private parlour, and sit down, ladies ?” asked Mrs. Gibbons. ‘“‘ You are waiting for the Major ?” ““T don’t know but I will,” said Aunt Copp, to whom all places were alike. ‘“ He a! ‘‘ Here it comes,” interrupted one of the group. ‘No it don’t,” said the landlord, putting down his ear, “ that ain't the rattle of the coach. It sounds more like Thorn’s gig.” ‘‘Where’s Thorn gone to to-day?” asked a spectator. “Went over to Crummerton this afternoon, to look at some stock,” chimed in the ostler. A gig came rattling up to them, and pulled up. It contained Farmer Thorn and his bailiff. The landlord advanced before the farmer had time to speak. ‘““] say, Mr. Thorn, have you seen or heard aught of the Hark- away ?” ‘Yes, heard rather too much. Two glasses of ale, Mrs. Gibbons, please. It has met with a nasty accident.” ‘What accident?” roared a chorus of voices, Aunt Copp’s the loudest. “It was overturned coming down Crummerton Hill. Nobody but a foolhardy man would have loaded it as Jones did to-night. He VOL, XLIX, eo ati ElOOOkKS (S©) am