The Man with a Secret

rt may break, It's very odd the pride we take In saying this one is a rake, And that one's

teeplechase over several chairs, and finally took refuge on the mantelpiece, where she stood with arc

aid Beaumont, tranquilly;

you ever know Muffins when he wasn't worrying a cat

ue eyes. He was positively bubbling over with good nature and excitement, and appeared the embodiment of robust health and a

and striding across the room to where Muffins was performing leaps worthy of an

ion with great zeal," fini

is voice, "I'd better introduce you two men,

warrantable liberty in acting as he was doing, but Pemberton, with the

g at Nestley, "you will be a perf

to be gracious so seeing that he had attained his object of introducing Nestley as his

e said to himself with a short laugh. "I wou

emy, whereupon the cat, seeing the coast clear, sprang down and dashed out of the room, but the wa

provided with an amusing evening, for he'll

ry for t

e him return scratched all over," retort

d Pemberton eyeing the do

a walking tour," repl

thrusting his hands into his po

your

hat shoot, don't you know--it's a five-act funeral of a

tor, mightily amused at Mr.

ranger here--why, Reggy B

igg

hing--hasn't got an idea beyond the Muses as he calls 'em--beastly old frumps--Reggy's a good sort of chappie--he's in the ta

asked Nestley, following his

e's a native of these parts, not a bad sort of chap but awfully stand

replied the do

burst of laughter sounded from the taproom, so postponing his inquiry until a m

ich about fifteen men were seated on benches, smoking vigorously. On a long, deal table in the centre stood a number of pewter tankards containing beer and a large jug filled with th

ife and animation. Decidedly handsome, with an olive complexion, closely-cropped black hair and a small moustache of the same colour. As he sat there swing

as Reginald Blake slipped off the table to greet him. "Must have been b

, but then and there introd

anger here--got the blues, so I

is hand with a frank smile. "I'm very pleased to see you

knew two of his pupils were he

ng men laugh

cing a cigar case, "he trusts us, besides, we work hard al

himself to a cigar from his frie

lic-house," finishe

. Blake gravely, lighting his cigar. "Dick

e were in Town I've no doubt we'd go to a music hall,

lly, "but the singing is amusing--I say Jarx," he add

t he started too low so that his voice sounded as if it came from his boots, then, apologising in a sheepish manner to the company, he began again in a high key. This being the other extreme was found eq

hog tub and

ub behind

away with t

ever come ba

ter long pause

ength of the company, who sang impartially in different keys, so that the result was anything but harmonious. By this simple means the song lasted about a

a ditty about "Four Irish girls who came from the Isle of Wight," which also had the additional attraction of a dance, the music of which was provided by the performer whistling

promptly; "he's got a vo

ng under his dark skin. "Why I

aid the incorrigible Dick.

or, Blake consented and sang "You'll remember me," that

ind their way straight to the heart, and as Blake sang the appealing words of the song, with their haunting, pathetic tenderness, Nestley felt strangely stirred. Even the rustics, dull

id Nestley, when the singer

e from a stranger, and Dick delighted with the eu

and he sings comic song

ed anxious to hear something more suited to their comprehens

ion of that charming voice by hearing it lowered to the level o

looked at hi

d Reginald frankly, "but people down here

me to close the bar, so in a few moments the room was empty of all save Nestle

he said bluntly

te to make any comments, so in order to relieve the aw

characters down here," he said,

promptly, "old Gars

e trio saw Mr. Basil Beaumont strolling into the room. Nestley grew a shade stiffer in his manner as his

now him?"

te position in front of the

ce twenty-three years ago,

," said Blake

is," replied Beaumont, "but from all I've he

ck scornfully, "wa

here about the Flood. Wh

enty," sa

ty, yes, I should say seventy-three or four, as he was about fifty when I left; he had lived a

d, taking his cigar out of his

" said Nestley, settli

h led a fast life, as Beaumont says, till he was forty, then h

as?" aske

from those books to believe that his soul would be incarnated in a

d--mad," sa

indirectly to Beaumont, but this observation appe

quire Garsworth has made a hobby of this study, and from long concentration upon it, his hobby has become a mania; and again, the dise

adness," insi

a general sense I would not call him mad from simply

hear all about him," said Di

of its previous existences, but the squire thinks that it knows all about them, consequently he believes that when his soul--at present incarnated in the Garsworth body--leaves

uire believes that the soul does not lose its

e Pharaohs down to the middle ages, but I think the Garsworth body is th

ley reflectively, "if he i

his miserly habits," said Beaumont impatiently, "he d

revious existences he suffered from poverty, so in order to arrest such a calamity, h

mad," said Nes

served Beaumont disbelievingly; "he'll be in another b

Dick Pemberton, "nobody kn

rested. "I should like to study t

s with him," interposed Blake hurrie

love, I see. I suppose Miss Challoner does not

contemptuously, "s

e room, and, after slowly surveying th

he said, in his thick voice, "would you

" asked Bla

is head, "and Doctor Bland, sir, he's ill, too, sir, and can't g

y. "Nonsense! This gentleman," indicating N

rising, rather glad of the

utside with the cart," observe

s?" asked Nestley, fo

cried Dick, "and a cross

tell the vicar now, sir," s

his gentleman will do more good; it's

," said Dick, as they all went out. "H

t," said Beaumont quietly, as they stood

d into the inn, and Nestley, stepping up into the high dog-cart, drove off