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