The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1875-02-03
CHAPTER TX.
ALNwICK COTTAGE,

A blazing hot day in August. More es-
pecially hot it felt at the railway station
of Oxford, a quiet country village; for it
was a small, bare station, with not a tree.
and but little covering about it, to shade
off the suns hot glare. The two o'clock
train came putting up, stopped, deposited
a few passengers and a good deal of lug
gage, and went screaming and putting on
again.
Nearly all who had alighted were of one
party. Mr.. and Mrs. Yorke, their two
young children, and some servants. She
was young and beautiful still, but her man.
ner had grown colder. Little trace re-
manned Of the gay lightness OF Maria Sax
onhury.
From the love. incidental to Englishmen,
Of temporary change, OF new scenes, Mr..
Yorke quilted Saxonbury, its COM
forts and its elegancies, for shooting
box" in another county. All he knew of
"Alnwick Cottage" he knew through an
advertisement, except what he learned bv
two or three letters from Mr. Maskcll, who
had the charge of letting 1t, furnished =
Excellent fishing and shooting were PROM
ised, and Mr.. Yorke had taken it for six
months. 1t stood nearly a mile beyond
the village. No one was at the station to
meet them, and Mr.. Yorke in his haueh-
ty spirit, was not pleased at the omission.
He deemed that Mr.. Maskell ought to
have been there.
at is disrespect which he ought no
to have shown me-" he remarked 10 his
wife, when the hustle of their arrival at
the cottage was over.
81 wonder he was not there" she an
ewered. But something may have pre-
vented him, Arthur; we don't know"
81 think L shall take a stroll out and
have look at the locality" resumed Mr..
Yorke. do you want anything ordered
in, Maria?"
mot that / know Of" she answered.
"The servants can see about all that"
Mr.. HOrke departed, taking the direction
Of Ofcrd. When he reached the village,
one OF the first houses he saw was Mr..
Maskells, as the door-plate announced:
Mr.. Maskell, Lawyer and Conveyancer."
He rang, aud was admitted
al am so sorry Lot to have met you at
the station" began Mr.. Maskell, when he
learnt who his visitor was. Il was called
suddenly out Of Oxford this morning to
make a gentleman's will, and have not
been home half-an-hour / have des-
patched my clerk to Alnwick Cottage with
the inventory. Sir, / hope you will like
Oxford"
ut seems very poor place" remarked
Mr.. Yorke
THE village can't boast much, but the
neighborhood is superior: small society,
but excellent Capital shooting, tool
Have you good medical advice?'
HE is very nice young fellow, our
doctor. We have bnt one: the place would
not support more. Not but what he makes
a good thing Of it."
Mr. Yorke's lip curIed. He had not
been thinking of "nice young fellows"
but Of superior medical skill. al asked
you about the doctor before / decided on
the cottage, and you wrote me word there
was an excellent one," said he. in dis
satisfied tone. "Itis most essential, where
there's family, 10 be near a clever med
ical man."
I'VE all think him very clever" replied
the lawyer. "He bought the practice
three years ago: our surgeon had died, and
j negotiated its sale with this gentleman.
he has attended us ever since, and is a
great fayorite. He was in London for
two years before that, qualified assistant
to large medical practitioner. Plenty of
experience he had there: it was large hos.
pital practice. Hewas smoking his cigar
with me yesterday evening; he often runs
in, does Janson; and was SAYING
"What is his namep' interrupted Mr.
Yorke, his accent shrill and unnatural.
"Janson."
"What?'
The lawyer wondered whether Mr..
Yorke was attacked with sudden deafness,
and why his eyes glared, and his teeth
shone out, so like fangs.
"Janson," he epeated-"Edward JAN
son. Do you know himg'
Mr.. Yorkes mouth closed again, and
his manner Gained down. at is a curious
name" said be. as it English?"
"Of Dutch origin, suppose. Jauson
is an Englishman."
docs he live in the villageP
"A few doors lower down. 1t is the
corner house as you come to Rye Lahe:
the garden door at the back opens on the
lane. L assure you, sir, you may call in
this gentleman with every confidence.
shouldyou or your family require medical
advice"
Meanwhile, during this walk of Mr..
Yorke's everybody was busy at Alnwick
Cottage, as is the case when going into a
fresh residence Finch, the nurse, a con-
tidential servant, who had been Mrs.
forke's maid before her marriage, was de-