The Blotting Book

when he came out of his house again, stick in hand. It was a large heavy stick that he carried, a veritable club, one that it would be easy to reco

g than locomotion over the springy grass of the downs, he took, as he had done a hundred times before, the road that led to Falmer. A hundred yards out of Brighton there was a stile by the roadside; from there a footpath, if it could be dignified by the name of

toil. A little farther on was a grass-grown tumulus of Saxon times, and his mind was distracted from the present to those early days when the unknown dead was committed to this wind-swept tomb. Forests of pine no doubt then grew around his resting place, it was beneath the gloom and murmur of their sable foliage that this dead chief was entrusted to the keeping of the kindly earth. He passed, too, over t

ath, which, as it approached the corner of the park, was more strongly marked than when it lay over the big open spaces. It was somewhat slippery, too, after the torrent of yesterday, and Mr. Taynton's stick saved him more than once from slipping. But before he got down to the point where the corner of the park abutted on t

*

of the park basked in the fresh sunshine; three hundred yards away was Falmer Station, and beyond that the line was visible for a mile as it ran up the str

d by the station. It seemed to him to be going very fast, and the huge cloud of dust behind it endorsed his impressi

seat again behind one of them. The car came very slowly on, and stopped just opposite him. On his right lay the hollow where he had thrown th

topped the car, and then spo

" he said, "there's the p

ot up and cam

his divine afternoon, and was going to take the train back. But

moment as if he hardl

course,

was all beam

n convinced that he was innocent of the terrible s

ith incredulous eyes. Then he had sat d

elt rather faint. I shall be better in

oment or two. Mr. Taynton said nothing, bu

last night. No, I have not seen Mills; they tell me h

t in silence; then it seemed that

had a curiously vivid dream last night about that corner, and you su

turning up his coat collar, for the wind of th

lessly, "the vividness was concerned with

n of thought that had occupied

, but he didn't succeed. And as you said last night I have too deep and intense a cause of happiness to give my thoughts and energies to anything so futile as hatre

or a moment, and when he d

my dear boy,"

for some little time to

r whatever you call it. I suppose he will guess that you know all about it, so perhaps it would be best if you told him straig

n seemed m

you ask it. But Morris, you

h high spirits and simplicity w

g what has happened to the fellow. They told me at his flat in town that he went off with his luggage yesterday afternoon,

wes on his way down, and I make no doubt he slept there, probably forgetting all about his

," said Morris.

ling, my usual shillin

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the other went upstairs to see if his partner was there. He had not, however, appeared there that day, and Mr. Ta

valet was there, still waiting for his master's return, for he had not yet come b

oncluding words. "I feel convinced he has merely been detained

ring words, was a little troubled. You would have said that though he might not yet be anxious, h

unexpected losses, not connected with business; eh, Mr. Timmins? Or

e forced, and Morris waited

that?" he asked. "You

consistent? I think perhaps it is. Well, let us say then that I am just a shade anxious.

afternoon drive. She had found the blotting book waiting for her when she came back that m

nd your money on me, m

just love the impu

er, "let's have the initials changed ab

voice g

birthday present for you. I t

e was speaking of no t

ear?" s

," said Morri

ent, and though it made her cry a little, h

*

other, even to her, implied that he was not doing his best to bury what he determined should be dead to him. As usual, they played backgammon together, and it was not till Mrs. Assheton rose to go to bed that she remembered Mr. Taynton's note, asking her and Morris to dine

h he was singularly inefficient, and wait for news. Little as he knew Mills, and little cause as he had for liking him, he too, like Mr. Taynton, felt vaguely anxious and perturbed, since "disappearances" are necessarily hedged about with mystery and wondering. His own anger and hatred, too, like mis

two notes, one for Mrs. Assheton, the other for Morris. He had been a

note, which was

r Mo

graphing first thing in the morning to see if Miss Madge will make our fou

ting anxious, as I cannot conceive what has happened. Should he not be back by tomorrow morning, I shall put the matt

ionatel

rd Ta

or letter, and requires no period of incubation. And Morris began to be really a