Miracle Gold (Vol. 1 of 3)

er repose. No dreams intruded. The forward movement of the train was unheeded. The vibration did not break in upon her serenity. At the various stations where the train stopped people got in or out,

riendly porter's assurance there would be no need to chang

onscious of being shaken by the shoulder; she awoke and saw opposite her a stout, kind-faced countrywoman, with

ticket-collector standing at the door, impatient

t all was dim until all became blank in sleep. She could not clearly recollect the man's giving her the ticket. She remembered a dull sensation in her hand, as though she had felt him thrust the ticket in

se, the train

't find m

The train

not fi

nt. The train moved on. "Try your pockets well, miss," said the collec

her situation, had been wandering about the country all the morning, and now was back in London without a ticket or a sixpenny piece! People were se

rembling with which she had been seized on finding her l

id you c

e would get my ticket for me. I gave him all the

ive you t

n't k

t or not?" The collector's manner, which had been sym

the carriage, and did not wake up

to pay your far

I haven't any money. I ga

ll be a bad job. Is it likely any friend of

coming up quit

b, then," said

d piteously. Her indifference was passing away and she was becoming excited at hideous pos

must see what th

"I hope it will be all right, my dear. You don't look as if you was up to anything bad. You d

stepped out on the platform. She covered h

should die. She caught with one hand the side of the open carriage door for support, and kept the other hand before her face. She ceased to sob, or cry or weep. The collector and

y of one of the guards. "Has anythin

e was something familiar in the v

ny money. We have sent for the In

mptuously. "I have money. Where has the

lway," answere

have I. What

. Five and

er held out his hand to the

ss," said the collector turning t

had heard. She did not answer because she did not know what to say. Two powerful emotions were conflicting in her. The feeling o

r for her. She can pay me back at any time. I will give her my

e train is going to back out. Here's the Inspector. A

hold upon the carriage door, but did

The touch of the hand recalled the dim memory of what had happened ear

ht. Please stand away. T

und. She knew she should see him with her eyes, she had heard him with her ears. She shrank

t her. With a cry of astonishment he let his stick fall and threw up his arms.

. She felt abashed and confounded. She seemed to have treated badly this

stonished me out of myself. I thought you were miles and miles away. I thought you were at Eltham House.

rs. Leigh, she was bewildered at the inconsistency of his words now, and his visit to that room from which he believed she had fled last night. She had, too, overheard him say to his mother that he would put something right in Eltham for her this day. She had gathered he had had no intention of leaving Eltham until about noon, and it was not nine o'clock yet! He surely did not know she was in that dark room when he made the soliloquy. To suppose he thought she was there would be madness. He knew at that time she ha

tree, and like wind through a tree touching and moving the m

Grace! Then we must have been so unfortunate as to displease Miss Grace unwittingly. But you are tired, child, and I am inconsiderate to keep you waiting. You

home to Gri

way. You have no b

ehind me. I also

urney and this most unpleasant experience on the platform to be allowed by me to speak a

ress before she had time to hesitate or protest. Then he turned briskly awa

y near him, walked rapidly a few hundred yards back over the way the omnibus had come, along clattering and roaring Cheapside. Then he pul

eigh was trying to fin

and no one escaped the dark flashing eyes of Leigh. In the eyes of City men when they walk about through the mazes of their own narrow domain there is always an introspective look. They are not concerned with the sticks and stones or the people they encounter. They know every stick and stone by rote and they are not abroad to meet people in the street, but to call upon people in warehouses, shop

his environment. He kept on the left-hand pavement and close to the houses so that he could see

ied "Hah! No one," struck into the cross street by the left and proceeded very slowly. This was a still narrower artery than the former one. When he reached th

secrecy and gloom and silence, and moved in a south-easter

Borough High Street found himself in London Road, where from noon to midnight, al

d given up wholly to vehicles out of work. Here were a couple of dozen large, unhandsome, stores, warehouses and small fac

ut white letters, over the door, were the words "John Timmons," in large letters, and beneath in small letters, once black and now a streaky grey, "marine store dealer." Into the misty twilight of this house of bankrupt and forgeless Vulcan

engine, or leant over the head of the dark cellar in the left corner, he would have

ham yesterday morning to consult a very clever mechanist there a

oing away, but I though

t me right about the new movement, but when I told him I thought I was on the point of perfecting my discovery of the combination in metals he told me he would be able to find a market for me if I was sure the new compound was equal to representation. Of course, I told him the su

sufficient to protect. You were

is ready to take any quantity, if t

ubt it will be

, was the colour--that it was very white--

very clever. You are the clev

it best not to m

e safe side and even walls can't te

ld be small of the miracle gold, but that I hoped soon

t's

make, no matter how much, if i

entation! That's splendid. I

again? I dare say the most uncomfortable place after a prison into which anyone goes is a grave, and this place

go on with t

rease my risk by a grain weight. I am already risking

w nothing of the matter beyond the alloy. What did th

pure met

fter you are

il he has a specimen. Whe

. Will you take i

What are you d

g parti

y place between tw

tain

out f

re to the mi

with you. Knock at the door once, one knock, the door in Chetwynd Street, mind. I'll open the door for you myself. Mind,

into public houses. I can't afford it. They are places for onl

e not certain whether it is genuine or not. There is a break in the pedigree and they will

t keep you waiting

o London Road, and got on the top of an omnibus going north. He c

that you are not followed, the top of an omnibus i

day made richer by his opinion of the genuineness of the alleged Zuccaro, nor had he up to this moment conceived the advisability of inventing t

nd soda with Williams at the Hanover in going to and coming back from