The Jennings daily record., 1902-07-21
came Peter Phipps with that famous

didn't ought to be allowed in in that
there state
What state?' l asked.
The state O. drink as he's possessed
with. Nor that amt all. sir
AS Phipps looked fearfully sage and
solemn l urged him to continue his
condolences
1T amt all. or nigh ALL Mr.. Rupert
for he's had the imperence to say,
welly as good as. that he could kick
Zip a rumpuS at Mr.. Winstanley's if
he'd a mind to. but that he knew bet
tern any one else what buttered toast
meant.
Now this was serious enough for
anything, for ! could put two and two
together. and 4 remark of that sort
was inuendo sutficien, even for the
understanding of q fool
Does he say that. Peter?" / de-
manded
He do. sir
Very good Then I'll ask you to
step across to Sundew House when
you've locked up the church"
Phipps tried TO get out of the mess
he had landed himself and US in. but
of course l insisted.
He promised to visit us as soon as
the bell practice was over. That prac-
tice. however. was destined never to
begin. And on it's omission hangs an
incident that was of the highest i'm
portance to all the Winstanlcy family.
The girls came i'll to supper tired and
in n bad temper. The curate had. it
seemed. left them much to themselves.
instead of Offering them advice as to
the arrangement of the dahlias and
wheat leaves that had been put at their
disposal. For one thing, though. was
thank full: they had not heard a word
OF Tom Fortescne's tipsy utterances as
PhippS had related them to me- They
We're openly indignant at his presence
il the church. aud made stcpmother's
eyes flash by their reference to him.
That. however. was all
The governor was helping his wife
to some cold beef when We heard the
big bass bell Of the church toll one
stroke. The noise was rather eerie
At any rate il had a strange effect on
=
plate and put her hand to her heart
AS a coincidence this was we
agreed afterward, extremely odd The
Psychical Society are of the same opin-
ion. l have told them about it.
They're only fooling in the belfry.''
said Mabel. in contemptuous tone.
Yes" said I: that means a tine to
somebody
Th" governor was meanwhile saying
divers distasteful endearing things to
stepmother.
'Turley Uhe doctor shall certainly
he requisitioned to give you something
composing. my love- lie added.
Stepmother's My dear Richard l
want for nothing. l do assure you"
made Mabel and Agnes exchange
naughty looks. l don't believe the
girls would have credited her with
anything but an attempt at shamming
if she had suddenly dropped dead from
her cnair.
1t couldn't have been much more
than five minutes after the tolling Of
the bell when our doOrbell was tugged
violently. and almost as soon AS it was
answered young GraZebrook. one Of
the village ringers. appeared in our
room, needless Of the maids. with the
cry:
IF you please. sir. and mum. Mr.
FOrtescues been and hanged himself"
What" exclaimed the governor.
He was proceeding TO rate the mes
senger of evil tidings for his impudence
when Mabel cried:
Look at herr
The her was stepmother She had
gone white as sheet and fallen back
ward. but upon Mabels words she
seemed TO recover herself.
1T isn't true:' she said in n whisper,
quite appealingly. to Grazehrook.
Its as true as l stand here, num-"
was the lads reply. His neck's
broke"
The next instant stenmother fairly
sohbed into her hands.
"Oh. Tom. my poor Tom she cried
again and again.
| left her in that condition. In the
belfry l found Phipps, two or three of
the ringers and the doctor. There was
not the smallest doubt about Fortes-
cues demise He had it appeared. un-
der spirituous eXhilaration. climbed the
belfry steps Il minute or two only be-
fore the practice was to begin. The
toll of the bell was his death knell. !
How he had done it or why or whether
il was mere accident-my view of it
no one could possibly tell for certain.
But when the lads ran up the stairs
they found him with the noosed rope
of the bass bell tight round his neck. |
The cord had been drawn up and laid
across the beam above. and the as
GU iLA.i IL