Dialstone Lane, Complete

es almost forgotten. It took him back forty years, and showed him a small boy treading the same road, passing the same houses. Nothing had changed so much as the small boy

posing appearance, who was sitting by the window at needlework, looked up sharply at

," she said,

aid Mr.

sed to go to Mrs. Morris. Mrs. Morris had heard of her through Harris,

ture of a new housemaid, which, slightly altered as to name and place, would have passed muster as an exciting contest b

listening!

on, my dear,"

t her last place for, t

l. "You said you were not surprised at her leaving," he replied, slowly; "the

lip. "Yes," she said, slowly.

eaning from top to bottom," s

, in a smothered voice

husband," continued M

od over him. Mr. Chalk tried des

I said that she left because Mr. Wilson, her master, was dead and the family had

k remain

k of such things?"

ctory reply was possible. "My though

d past. Pressed for details she became more mysterious still, and, saying that "she knew what she knew," declined to be deprived of the knowledge under any consideration. She also informed her daughter-in-law that

nant Mrs. Chalk, after a pause. "It's a pity you haven't go

Rye was one of the nuisance

of the sea," h

h, Yarmouth," she said

n before. "I wasn't thinking

?" said his

e alluding to," said

and Yarmouth are a long way off is best known to yourself. It's very funny that the moment either of these places is m

o be materializing. Sleepy Binchester ended for him at Dialstone Lane, and once inside the captain's room the enchanted world beyond the seas was spread before his eager

k for more, and the captain, not without some reluctance and several promptings from Mr. Chalk when he showed signs of omitting vital

ooking at the map," said Mr. Chalk, one evening. "Y

Mr. Tredgold. "Properly managed there ough

tude and all the directions are written on the back," he observ

show it to Mr. Chalk, uncle

w signs of annoyance. "Well

uld see it too," said

gnation. "I could see it any ti

act, I'm dying with curiosity myself. Bring it out and make

usually amiable features. He got up and, turning his ba

ne in golden sovereigns that you'll sink into your honoured family vault with your justifiable curiosity

aker with scornful comprehension. "Take

leaned over and shook hands solemnly with

ase me," announced Prudence, in a

, my dear, if I can find it," he said, in a hesitating fashion. "B

k. "Good heavens! Suppose somebody should find

ly; "I'll have a hunt for it. All the same, I don'

way, remarking that people who mad

ghtness which was not lost upon Miss Drewitt. "The ca

said that when the captain promis

Shipwrecks." By this means and the exercise of great self-control he ceased from troubling Dialstone Lane for a week. Even then it was Edward Tredgold who took him there. The latter was

h of a hurry to find tha

rewitt, with a little not

by the fireplace, and taking a paper from a pigeon-hole slowly unfolded it and spread it on the table bef

ugh oval, the coast-line being broken by small bays and headlands. Mr. Chalk eyed it with all the fervour usually bestowed on a holy relic, an

ed, in a trembling voice, pointing

ger-nail. "No," he said, briefly. "

writing on the other side, took up the map and, replacing it in the bureau, turned the key in the lock and with

our bet," she

" was th

nce by hoping that it would be a lesson to him. As she watched, Mr. Tredgold dived into his left trouser-pocket and counted out some coins, mostly brown. To t

pence," he said

k, regarding him with awk

U," said Captain

epeated Mr. Chalk;

fumbling in his pockets. "As Miss Drewitt says, people who mak

le still when Mr. Tredgold, discovering a bank-note and a little collection of gold coins in another pocket, artlessly expressed his joy at th

y matters, my lad," said

over a couple o' pounds," said Mr. Chalk, look

nly one to notice a faint twitching at the corners of his mouth. She saw it distinctly, despit

ight was fading fast, and as she sat at the open window the remembrance of Mr. Tr

d in at the open window, mellowed by distance. His pipe was out, and he rose to search in the gloom for a match, when another murmur of voices reached his ears from the kitchen. He stood

he appeared and closed the

in that absurd manner for?" inquir

said Mr. Ta

in, noticing with surprise tha

im in a troubled fash

r. "If you want to talk to yourself go outside and do it. I never heard suc

, a hostile, challenging cough, sounded from the kitchen. Before he co

ent. "Do you mean to tell me you've got somebody in m

ered discussion. Then a voice clear and distinct took command. "I'll ta

nd he gazed in perplexity at the door as a

mewhat shrewish voice. "You'd better light the lamp if you want

man whose spelling has nothing to conceal, struck a match and lit the lamp. The lamp lighted, he lowered the blind, and then s

?" he demand

ing to my Joseph, but, thank goodness, I can take my own part. I don't want nobody to fight

sive dignity. Miss Vickers met his gaze calmly and,

n my pantry?" demanded

s Vickers, with scornful emphasis on

the captain, with a mildness that s

e read'em all over and over a

ther, "I shall have to speak to

arm do you think I was doing your old kitchen? Don't you try and interfere between me and my Joseph, because I won't have it. You'r

he valiant Joseph, and he stared with growing uneasiness at the slight figure of Miss Vickers as it stood po

d, rapidly. "I wasn't hurting your kitchen, and as to talking and laughing there-what do you t

rl-" began the ca

as you'd be a bit different, I can tell you. If you had any girls you'd know better than to try and

h the form of ringing the bell.

old Joseph that I'd no doubt your bark was worse than your bite. And what he can se

after her. Captain Bowers, still somewhat dazed, returned to his chair and, ga