The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-08-29
CHAPTER XII.

CHAPTER NIL
MIR. BLAKEs GO ID NEWS.
In the afternoon, after lunch had been
eaten. there came a r'ng at the back
door. and Mr.. Montagu Blake was an
nounced. There had been a little con-
tretemps or misadventure. 1t was Mr..
Blake's habit when he called at Cookers
Hall TO ride his horse into the yard.
there 10 give him up TO Haycnotes, and
make his way in by the back entrance.
Tn this occasion Hayonotes had been
considerably disturbed in his work, and
was discussing the sad condition of Mr.
Baggett with Thornybush over the gate
of the kitchen garden. Consequently,
Mr.. Blake had taken his own horse into
the stable. and As he WAS about to lead
the beast up to the stall. had been
stopped and confused by Sergeant Bag
gett' protruding wooden leg.
Alloa, what's up now?n said a
voice. addressing Mr.. Blake from under
the straw. ..Do you 60 down, old chap.
aud get us three penn orth of cream o
the valley from the Cock"
Then Mr.. Blake had been aware that
his prior visitor was not in condition
to be of much use to him, and tied up
his horse, in another stall. But. on
entering the house. Mr.. Blake an
nouuced the fact of there being Il
stranger in the stables. and suggested
that the one-legged gentleman had been
looking al somebody taking 4 glass of
giu Then Mrs. Baggett burst out into
n loud screcch of agony. The nasty
drunken beast, he ought to be. locked
up into the darkest hole they've got in
all ArleSford."
But who is the gentleman said
Mr.. Blake.
My husband. sir! | won't deny
him. He is the cross as | have to carry,
and precious heavy he is. You must
have heard of Sergeant Baggett-the
most drunkenest, beaStliest, idlest
scoundrel as ever the Queen had in the
army. and the most difiicultcst for 4
woman to put up with in the way OF a
husband, Let woman be ever so de-
cent. he'd drink her gowns and her pet
ticoa.s, down to her very underclothing.
How would You like, sir, to have to
take up with such beast as that.
after living all YOUR life rs comfortable
as any lady in the land? Wouldn't that
be a come-down, Mr.. Blake? And then
to have your box locked up, and be told
that the key of your bedroom door is
in the masters pocket" Thus Mrs.
Baggett continued TO bewail her des-
tiny.
Mr.. Blake having got rid of the wom-
an. and beIhinking himself of the disa-
grecable incidents to which gentle
man with a larger establishment than
his own m ght lie liable. made his way
into the S'tting-rOon. where he found
Mary Lawrie alone: aui having apollo
gized Tor the manner of his intrusion.
and having said something intended to
be jocose as to the legs of t .e warrior in
the stable, at once asked a question as
to John Gordon.
.Air. Gordon?' said Mary. s.He was
here this morning with Mr.. Whittle-
staff, but know nothing of him since"
He hasn't gone back TO London"
81 don't know where he has gone
He slept in Arlcsford last night, but l
know nothing of him since
HE sent lis bag BY the boy at the
inn to the railway station when he came
up here. | found his bag there. but
heard nothing of him. They told me
at the inn that he was to come up here,
and thought should either find him
here or meet him on the road"
DO you want to find him especial
ly?"
..Well, yes"
..Do YOU know Mr.. Gordon?'
well, yes; do. That is to say, he
dined with me last night. We were at
Oxford together. and yesterday even
ing we got talking about our adventures
since"
He told you that he had been at the
diamond-fields?n
.'Oh, yes; l know all about the dia-
mond-fields. But Mr.. Hall particular
ly wants to see him up at the Park. "
(Mr. Hall was the squire with four
daughters. who lived at Little Aries
ford. 'Mr. Hall says that he knew
his father many years ago, and sent
me out to look for him. l shall be
wretched if he goes away without COM
ing to Little Arlesford House. He can't
90 back to London before four O'Clock,
because there is no train. You know
nothing about his movements?'
Nothing at all For some years