Up the Hill and Over

nt. Walking with brisk step down the road, Callandar began to imagine the kind of meal he would order-a clear soup, broiled steak, crisp potatoes-a few little

road before him, but the oppression in the air was gone, and walking had ceased to be a weariness. The mile which separated him from Coombe appeared no longer endless,

rustic conversation with a good meal at the end t

n sufficient to identify him. Beyond the first request to "step up," he vouchsafed no word and, save for an inarticulate gurgle to his horse, seemed lost in an ageless calm. His gaze was fixed upon some in

!" said Callan

, jerked them abruptly and murmured a hoarse "Giddap!" It wa

as warm as thi

et it a little cool

d with annoyance

this part of the country. But I alway

the rustic gre

g pause and then he volunteered suddenly: "You can mostly tell by Alviry

eful figure with incredulous amusement. "Great Scott, m

ignedly, "bu

e a very serious business. Your wi

owly. There seemed something like

ger. It'll take more 'an a su

e uncon

s you cou

e-look here, I'll go with

esponded genially. "Thinking of taki

ow. But if

ing to change her none. But if she likes your looks she'll probably try you next time. Tumble fond of experiments

mperial?" he asked after

re where I can get a good

ehu shook his

et that at t

ad I bet

other place to go

t fall a fier

at

it must be

church-going place, is Coombe. Old Doc. Simmonds was a Methody. We were kind of hoping the next one

e tip. I'll remember. Coombe is co

ed he

simple question such an obvious meaning that the d

. I asked because I'm rather rocky m

d. "Good a reason as a

used to be a Dr. Coom

ve somewhere

open and guileleas face by his side. Then from deep down in his brawny throat came a sudden sound. It w

er?" asked the d

ld Doc. Coombe. It gives them a kind of opening. Yes, that's the old Coombe

" said Callandar i

widow isn't doing much to keep it up. Tumble flighty woman, so they say.

ut

s a baby. There is a child, though, Jane they call her, a

d not

that Esther's more of a mother to Jane than her own ma. But I dunno. Alviry says it's a shame the way Esther's put upon; all the cares of the house when she had ought to be

t there is an aunt who

ar, sur

Alviry says she's a whole lot wi

that Alviry's observation had been intende

sked the othe

r hard luck fo

n avenue of lilacs curved, and on the other stood a stiff line of fir trees. The front of the house was well shaded by maples and near the gate stood a giant elm-tree, around the trunk of which ran a circular seat. It all looked cool, g

ay she has of flinging herself around-jes' like a young girl! Mebby you

, amused. "All I can see is that t

some of her black, but jes' to wear them out, not as symbols. Mrs. Coombe's got a whole new outfit, Alviry says. Turri

since you ask, do you think a

Tisn't my business either; but it

ntrary to expectation, he did "giddap" with a jerk which nearly unseated the

" he confided, "all you got

ut of your way. If you'l

. Hardly any place in Coombe you can go without going p

h another jerk for which the doctor was equally ill-prepared. Before them stood a modest red brick building, three stories in height, with a narrow veranda running across the lowest story just one step up from the pavement. On

h he had travelled, and shook his good Samaritan by the hand. "Thank you very much," he said, "and

twinkle in their mournfulness. "If it does," said the sad on

el. The parting remark of his conductor had left a smile upon his lips, which smile still lingered

ed," said that in

do you

loses at two;

you serve nothing between

" with an understanding grin at

that did not make a bit of difference in the startling change of demeanour which overtook the clerk. He straightened up. He removed his toothpick. He arranged the register in his best manner and chose another nib for his pen. When Callandar had registered

who preceded him up the oilclothed stairs. He was a very round boy: round legs, round cheeks, round head and eyes so round that they must have been special eyes made

a little brother who is ve

be a family word.) "I've got a bro

school yourself, boy

babel

that

bble for

known what it i

s a day, be

g. Do you belong t

yerl

sions. And, as we believe in honourable warfare, pay for everything you get, but take no refusals-see?" He pressed a bil

! Here's your room

ng tin label was jingling in the lock. The doctor o

be manifestly unfair since, in relation to all the other rooms at the Imperial, number fourteen was a good room, perhaps the very best. A description tempts us, but perhaps its best description

couting party. The scouting party was piled with parcels up to its round eyes and f

huntin

ling off what's left, for the benefit of the heathen." The boy gave the roundest wink Callandar had ever seen and deposited his parcels upon the bed. "They always have 'bout forty

r a cloth. It's bran' clean-cross my heart! I borrowed a dish or two offen the church. They know me…. We'll

like pi

chicken and the cabbage salad by the ham and the chow-cho

't like cho

r you. I love chocolate cake. This here cake was made by Esther Coombe

han I did yesterday. By Jov

thought you'd want the best. She ris'

'ris' the

ylor's curin'. Ma thinks that if Miss Taylor wasn't quite so hombly, minister might a

cken such as one dreams of. The salads were delicious, the homemade bread and butter fresh and sweet; the ham might well cause feelings of a tender nature towards its curer! The chocolate cake? He thought he might try a small piece and, having tried, was w

st mouthful and for a time there was no further conversation in number fourteen. The doctor had temporarily discarded his theory that it is better to rise from the ta

dn't you better stop? You are 'swel

esently he began to have inter

s the grub here would kill a cat. I eat at home

eat, boy. Isn't th

the only decent one. Gave you a nice room anyway."

on't know! How can I

ound white teeth tho

get board s

as a n

s Mrs. Hallard who r

who cures ham,

They never give a man a minute's peace. Say, if you don't really lik

ut he did not waste anything, a precaution whose value he realised that night upon returning from the dining room where he had s

ear I can sojourn no longer in your delightful t

y's fa

Mark, that you drove up with, told it. He said he shouldn't wonder if you're real clever. Says he suspects you're an old friend o

he prospect is

! There's th

the doctor was still considering the words of his ultimatu

u, sir," said

wha

r will call 'round first thing in the morning to see Mr

ur fooli

y heart,

all

always thinks things is smallpox. Ann's had smallpox several

ry swiftly.) "What train …" he began. (The Fateful Sisters slipped a bobbin through and tied a cunni

and …" but Bubble did not wa