United States or Tuvalu ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
She infected Harry with her own dislike and suspicions of Fred Barkley, and amused the lad greatly by telling him how, when she had heard of the discovery of his existence, she had, when Mrs. Holl left, gone straight up to her room and indulged in a wild dance of delight at the destruction of Fred's hope of being Captain Bayley's sole heir. "It was glorious," she said.
In the meantime I was under the sheltering roof of my old foster-mother "Bayley's Reward Claim" the guest of Tom and Gerald Browne. Gerald had as his henchman a small boy whom he had taken from a tribe away out to the eastward of Lake Darlot a smart little chap, and very intelligent, kept neat and clean by his master, whose pride in his "boy" knew no bounds.
"The only course left for you is to make a clean breast of the affair, and throw yourself on the mercy of the court. If the secret turns out to be a good one, I'll let you off as easily as I can." "It's about the new drug-clerk, the one who is going to take George Bayley's place," said Will, laughing. "Oh, do tell, quick!" exclaimed Laura. "I don't care who it is.
Captain Bayley repeated; "have you any grounds whatever for believing him guilty?" "No, sir, and I do not wish you to be in the slightest degree influenced by what I said." He paused, but Captain Bayley's eyes were still fixed upon him, as if commanding a complete answer. "Well, sir," he went on hesitatingly, "I must own that, sad as it is to say so, I fear Frank did it."
However, I have no doubt when I get home I shall find a letter from him not defending himself, of course, as he would know that to be unnecessary, but telling me the story in his own way." But no letter came that evening, to Captain Bayley's great irritation.
At half-past nine the next morning Fred Barkley arrived at Captain Bayley's. "Well," his uncle exclaimed, as he entered, "I suppose you have been sent to tell me they have got to the bottom of this rigmarole affair." "No, uncle," Fred said, "I have, I am sorry to say, been sent to tell you that Frank last night left his boarding-house and is not to be found."
A great change passed over Captain Bayley's face, the expression of impatience died out, and was succeeded by one almost of awe. He dropped the paper which he had hitherto held in his hand, and leaning forward he asked in low tones "Do you mean that a woman who had in her possession some article with my crest on it, and who had a child with her, died in your house?"
Shortly after Lord Douglas's return, I took the train to York, where "Little Carnegie," who had formed one of the team to draw the gold-laden express waggon from Bayley's to the head of the railway line, was running in one of Mr. Monger's paddocks. The Mongers are the kings of York, an agricultural town, and own much property thereabouts.
"He's just coming up, uncle," she said, tapping at Captain Bayley's door. He opened it a few inches. "I have got my pistol handy, Alice, in case you scream." Alice laughed, and as she turned round there was a knock at the door. The waiter announced Monsieur Adams, and an elderly gentleman entered.
Bayley, I will go, thank you," and without a backward glance at the others, she moved off to the gay little cutter where the horse stood shaking his bells impatiently. "Where's Polly?" somebody called out. And somebody else peered down the row of vehicles, and answered, "Mr. Bayley's driving her." And they were all off.
Word Of The Day