The Philipsburg mail., 1899-07-14
CHAPTER

brief period, on account of the com
mission Of a dreadful crime
Sledgemere is an out-of-the-way
spot in Sussex, having to this day no
railway station within nine mics, and
boasting only two gentlemens resi-
dences and a vcarage.
For nearly thirty years the parson
had preached, and his parishioners
had listened. There had been squab-
bles between the Vicar and the Squire
about chancel rights. There had been
good seasons and bad: nine-day scan
dals had been cherished and nursed;
but never before had the sober, slow
going people of the village been so ut
terly startled from their dreamy, ev-
ery-day existence as they were on that
memorable morning of the 1ith OF
July, 18-.
About half mile from the Squire's
house and on the opposite side of the
village there was a pretty old man
sion called Froyles, which had been
occupied fer a considerable time by an
elderly bachelor named Hughes. Very
i1ttiO was kHOWu IL Vi ullli, dlllOu5ii
when he first came into the neighbor-
hood he brought with him introduce
tions to the Squire, from whom he
rented the house. Considering that he
lived almost entirely alone, he kept up
a somewhat large establishment.
Occasionally an elderly maiden-lady
named Miss Pyecroft, who was sup
posed to be his niece, came and paid
him three or four months visit; but
the old man was of such retiring habits
that he could not endure for any
length Of time any Interference in
his ways of life. SO Miss Pyecroft's S
visits invariably terminated in a
stormy eruption on his part, caused by
some fanced liberty he imagined her
to have taken in the ordering of the
household, or by some grumbling on
the part of the servants. who by no
means relshed her trespassing upon
their preserves.
Mr.. Hughes spent his time chiefly
among his books and coins, of both of
which he prided himself upon having
large and valuable collection.
His household consisted chiefly of
butler a fOotman, cook, and two
maid-servants, besides two out-of-door
men, the coachman and gardener. In
such dull spot it YVES no easy task to
get indoor men-servants to remain.
The master Of the house very
seldom entertained and even deplored
having to preside at the two or three
annual parties, at which the
Squire, the Vicar and the local doctor,
accompanied by their respective wives,
We're his chief and generally his only
guests. These dinners were indeed but
slow affairs, for the only post-prandial
diversion ever offered was an inspec-
ton of Mr. Hughes coins, which were
displayed in their glass cases all
around the draWing-room. After the
departure of the guests, these treas
ures were re-deposited in the great
oaken cabinets in the library, to lie by
until the next festive occasion. Among
them were many valuable antique gold
and silver pieces, and it was a common
. remark of the Squres, when he dined
at Froyles, that he would not like tC
keep so much bullion in his house, for
fear of waking up some fine morning
and finding his throat cut! Habit
however, had become a second nature
and the possession of these coins
caused Mr.. Hughes no anxiety.
They were not things people could
steal, he always declared, as the reaI
value consisted in their antiquity, and
it would be a hard matter to dispose o1
them.
But you might melt them down.
the Squire suggested.
, Melt your grandmother down"
Mr.. Hughes had replied irritably, as
if the very motion of melting down
such treasures for the sake of paltry
dross were offensive to him.
1t is necessary, in order to follow
the revelations contained in these
pages, to be particular as to the de-
scription of the inmates Of Mr.. Hugh
es' establishment at the time the mar
rative commences.
The cook, Mrs. Young, was an elder
, " woman, who had been five years ir
her present situation. The two maids
Sarah and Anne Dodson, were
sisters, both young women, and ma
tives of the village of Sledgemere
The footman, Edward Bartlett, was &
youth of nineteen, and had lately beer
: engaged with an excellent two years
character from his former master. Tht
l butler, William Luke, was a man O
. over forty years of age, who had en-
) tered Mr.. Hughes service about th'
same time as Bartlett,
In consequence Of the difficulty h
had experienced in obtaining servants
Mr.. Hughes had taken Luke into hi
service without a character. The mai
had been discharged by his late EN-
, ployer for impertnence and suspected
!, pilfering Of wine; but Mr.. Hughe
=, liked his looks, and, after cautioninl
him as to his future behavior, con
ANI l.