Johnny Ludlow, Fourth Series

e chanced to go that day, of all days, to Pigeon Green. It

vinity that s

them how

ondon to show her to them, and we were all invited to dinner. As the Squire did not care to be out in the dark, his sight not being what it used to be, the dinner-hour was fixed for two o'clock. We started in the large open phaeton, the Squire driving his favourite horses

g in the same house. Ellin was very intimate with his wife, formerly Mary Coney, and was invited to spend a few days with her. It was Aunt Hester who had urged the acceptance of this invitation: seeing that Ellin was nervous at the non-arrival of her lover, William Brook, was peep

leet pace, and they soon reached Worcester. He drove straight to Foregate Street, which lay at the other end of the town, set down Ellin, and then went back

ust return

t a good cup of tea and some buttered toast, we began to think about getting home. When the phaeton came round, the Squire remarked that it was

oared round our heads, it whistled wildly through the trees and hedges, it shook the very ears of Bob and Blister; the few flakes of snow or sleet beginnin

d a knitted grey shawl right over her bonnet. We, in the back seat, had much ado to keep our hats on: I sat right behind the Squire, Tod behind Mrs. Todhetley. It was about the worst dri

I drive, sir?" he asked. "Perhaps you woul

e with remarkable disparagement, and Tod received onl

n Green and Timberdale, was an ultra dreary spot; dreary in itself and dreary in its associations. It was called Dip Lane, possibly because the ground dipped there so much that it lay in a h

gh the lane from market one dark night, was attacked and pulled from his horse. The assailants beat him to death, rifled his pockets of a large sum, for he had been selling stock, and dragged him through the hedge, making a large gap in it. Across the field, near its opposite side, was the round, deep stagnant piece of water known as Dip Pond (popularly supposed to be too deep to have any bottom to it); and it was conjectured that the o

standing under a tree. That these were the murderers, then waiting for prey, possibly for this very gentleman they attacked, no one had any doubt; but they were never traced. Whoever they were

ch his blood had fallen. The blood-stains were easily got rid of, but the hedge, though replanted more than once, never grew again; and the gap remained in it still. Report

murder was gone over that day at Mr. Beele's. Some remark led to the subject as we sat round the dessert-table, and Mrs. Frank Beele, who had never heard o

narrow-and Tod, peering outwards in the gloomy dusk, fancied he saw some vehicle before us. Bringing his keen sight to bear upon it, he stood up to reconnoit

," said Tod: "ther

ig,

: and going at a

but one horse. We caught it up in no time. It slackened speed slightly as it drew close to the hedge

frighten the ghost at the gap, which lively spot we were fast approa

olded round his neck and chin, and a low-crowned, wide-brimmed hat pulled down over his brows

s head for a moment towards the gig, but drove on at the same speed as before. All we could do was to call out ever

out something also, no doubt a greeting. At least, I thought he did; but the wind swe

nce, as he fixed his hat on his head again. "How glad I am!-for Nelly's sak

tched details afresh. Almost immediately afterwards, the gig wheels behind us, which I could hear above the noise of the wind, seemed to me to come to a sudden standstill. "St. George has stopped," I exclaimed to Tod. "Not a bit of it," answered he; "we c

rackling with wood and coal, and the stormy blasts beat on the window-panes, but no longer upon

," said Tod. "St. Geo

s not landed from the high seas yet. And, if he had landed

George," p

looked like his grey horse. Wher

h some glasses, the Squire having asked for some hot brandy-and-water. "Giles saw his man Ja

up Brook at Worcester," sa

ing round to reason. "But I don't see

en we started for Timberdale to call on William Brook, the sky was blue and the sun shining. Climbing up from the Ravine and cr

in a hurry," rem

g to some cottages in the distance. "Dying, the report is; supposed to ha

r he had seen William Brook yet. Darbysh

ow should I see him? B

ig," said Tod, and went on to explain that we had passed them in Dip

ut all the morning. St. George was in Worcester yesterday, I know. Wo

as the rest of

orane's, Aunt Hester's head appeared above the Venetian

the Squire. "Pleased that he is

sitting then at the little work-table, making herself a cap with lace and

ok," cried the Squire, as we sat down, an

what do you mean?" she e

not know it-that he has not bee

d Aunt Hester. "As to his coming to see me-well, I suppose he would not feel himself at

behind his time, e

r spectacles, which she rarely wore higher than the end of her nose. "Ellin has had gloomy ideas about his never coming back at all; and one can't see

curtly, for she was not in a hurry to be off to a poisoned patient. She dropped her

been in Dip Lane just at the time they were!-and why

a'am?" cried

concealing the news from me when he came round here last night t

ing to you about

the storm and wind, but he did not mention William Brook. He seemed tired

me in from the office. Aunt Hester told him the

t was September, you know, that he originally announced himself for. What do you say?"-his own words having partly drowned Aunt Hester'

Tod: and he went over the history once

ying a joke upon me

with him; I saw that much. The boys called out that it was William Brook, and began shouting to him. Whether it was he,

ed Tod. "Do you think I don't know him? We spoke t

ws took me by surprise, you see. Why on earth did St. George not tell me of it? I shall ta

was for those who drank wine as a rule-and put on the table some of the glasses that

also," cried bold Tod,

uire; "I shall stop here a bit. Tell William I am glad

he lawyer. "I expect he did not get a note I wrote to him

ssion was Tod's, not mine) was to be met by a denial of the servant's. Upon Tod as

le, her paint-box before her. Minty painted very nice pieces in water-colours: the one

began to us, without getting up from her work-for we were too intimate to be

. "He came last night. We

pencil then, and turned round.

home from Worcester. We passed

minute or two we kept at cross-purposes. She held to it that th

William must be in at sea. Your fancy misled you," went on Minty, calmly touchi

t come, and we took our departure. I don't

ot if I can underst

nking it was Brook?" I was beginnin

it as well as I, Mr. Johnny. Where can he b

ble; to search out reasons and fathom them; and you would be surprised

hing-and St. George is nursing him at his house for a day or two bef

itting at the table still. St. George, just come in, was stan

m for a word. "That I brought William Brook home here last night fro

ed the Squire. "Didn't you

I have not seen

g a fable, and looked from one to another of his two questioners, as if not yet understanding them. The Sq

t it was you we passed in Dip Lane last

hedge as a matter of precaution to let you go by, Squire, you were driving so quickly.

liam Brook," answered Tod, his voice bearing a spice o

s yet, and stood in silence. All

y, "you did not take that man

am Brook. Who

e and to the neighbourhood.

a suggested by me-that St. George was concealing Brook at his house out of good-fellowship-grew s

deny it, St. George?" he asked. "You

returned St. George. "Should I deny it,

ck-tempered Tod. "Why! as a proof that it was Brook, he shouted back his greeting to u

ing of the kind,"

a greeting to us, and he waved his hat round and round. I should no

' he said to me; and I told him you were acquaintances of mine. It never occurred to my mind, or to his either, I should imagine, but that the

to him? Couldn't you hear us ca

a single word. The wind

rposed the Squire. "Be quiet, Joe; can't you see you were mistaken? I told you you were, y

accosted me, asking which of the two roads before us would take him to Evesham. I told him which, and was about to drive on when it occurred to me that I might as well offer to giv

ound by Dip Lane, St. George

deserves. Previously to this I had been debating in my own mind whether to take the round, seeing what a journey was before me. It was about the wildest night I ever was out in, the

at the turning that leads to

d me heartily, and walked on; and I drove quickly home, glad enough to

nance betrayed it. "Did you notice that

ed up from the cold, and I did not get a clear view of it: I am not sure tha

y: the tears were stealing down her face. "And we have been drinking his health,

or two more will bring him. I must say I thought it odd that you

ght it very odd, si

take a gla

ds have to be gone over, you know, sir, before po

with a cock-and-bull story that people have come back from sea who have

ly speaking, tails between legs. The Squire kept u

fication, and the matter was mystifying him utterly. With all his heart, with all the sight of his eyes, he had believed it to

plications," spok

is? None. You two lads must have been thinking of William Brook, perhaps

quire came to a halt at the turning to the Ravine, undecided whether to betake hims

plenty of time. I want to ask him how that squabbl

use, lying back on the right hand. Before gaining it, however, we had to pass the pretty villa rented by Mr. St. George, its stabl

leaves on the little lawn. Tod, who was in advance of us, put his ar

he ran on, dropping his besom to face Tod, for the man was a lazy fellow, always ready f

walked on towards the Court. "We were out in it-coming home from Pigeon Gre

off his old hat to push his red hair back. "When he got in here, he said as he'd had en

vely. "Was your master alone, Japhet, wh

. "Miss Delorane were with him when he drove o

in him, and would have scorned to pump a servant about his master's movements. The answer tended to d

t that moment two or three railway passengers loomed into v

yant step and a smiling face. The

bout Brook, you two: it would only cause her dis

aimed, taking her hands. "An

softly whispered, with a bl

We have but now left your house, my dear," he continued. "Your aunt does not e

you seen him?" she asked

hom, my

Bro

ean William Brook? H

thought you might have seen him: you

ained the Squire. "Nobody else.

her cheeks all rosy dimples. "

" cried the Squire, f

answered Ellin. "Mr. St. Geor

emphasis. "There, father, please n

other complication? It took me aback.

hand on Ellin's shoulder. "Do you say that William Brook reached Worcester

. "Why should you do

Lane and thought that it was Brook that he had with him. But St. George denies this. He says it was not Brook; that he has n

r a moment; then the

d to be at Worcester Station yesterday when Mr. Brook arrived by the Birmingh

enied that he did

West, returning from a visit to some client

or tail of it," cried he. "What does St. George mean

een him?" que

he Squire, "we will walk back with you to your fa

eorge, Tod in a rapture of gratification. You

ight into it. Not but that "having it out" must be regarded as a figure of speec

ng over the same parchment when we entered. Ell

u did not drive home William Broo

logy for having brought to you a cock-and-bull story through the misleading fancies of these boys; but we have come back again to tell you the story's true. Your daughter h

not appearing to be in the least put out. "How can I tel

day afternoon," interrupted Ellin. "Mrs. James Ashton saw you

Ashton may have seen me there, for all I know-I did not see her. But

her later, when you were leaving Worcester," co

g was a stranger. Had Gregory West come up one minute

come," pers

rge. "All I can say is that I did not know

e. Nothing came of the interview; nothing but fresh mystification. Ellin declared William Brook had arrived, had been driven out of Worcester for Timberdale in St. George's

when about half-way there you quitted the high-road for by-ways you would come to Dip Lane. Traversing nearly the length of the lane, you would then come to a by-way leading from it on the other side, which would bring you on the direct road to E

now blowing us both up for what he called our "fancies" in supposing we saw William Brook, and now v

e office to partake of it. Dinner over, they left the room, having no time to linger. In fact, Gregory rose from table before he had well finished. Mary West inquired what his haste was, and he replied that he was off to Spetchley; some one had been taken ill there and wan

urious every hour, James Ashton's wife came in, all excitement. Her husband, in medical practice at Worcester, was the brother of Robert Ashton of Timberdale. A very nice y

give me for m

trated Mrs. West. "Do b

ble. Your runaway lover is

had indeed come, was then in the town. Throwing off her bonnet, and remarking tha

always is, you know; passengers getting out and getting in. I ran about looking for Patty, and found she had not come: taken fright at the weather, I suppose. As the train cleared off, I saw a figure that seemed familiar to me; it was William Brook; and I gave a glad cry that you might have heard on the top of St. Andrew's spire. He was crossing the line with others who had alighted, a small black-leather travelling-bag in

ere is

ray engine the man spoke of puffed up at the minute, and stopped right in front of me. When it puffed on again, leaving the way clear, both he and St. Ge

"You don't know what a strain it has been," she said. And she sat l

at he had lingered in the office expecting Mr. St. George. St. George had left him some time before to go to the Shrub Hill Station, having business to see to there, and h

man in his gig. He, Gregory West, who was in his brother's gig, pulled up to ask St. George whether he was not going home earlier than he had said. Yes, som

him, Gregory!" exclaimed Mary West, forgetting th

er could give. "It was a stranger to me: he wore a

kid gloves: I noticed them. I think St. George might have brought him

ir minds that St. George was driving William Brook home to Timberdale.