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'Ay, that's true enough,' said Springrove 'I 's safe; but to tell the truth I aet the rubbish burnt up before the rain co the couch into the back field to burn, and bringing it back again, why, 'tis more than the ashes would be worth' 'Well, that's very true,' said the neighbours, and passed on

Two or three ti after the heap was lit, he went to the back door to take a survey Before bolting and barring up for the night, hepile showed not the slightest signs of activity Springrove's perfectly sound conclusion was, that as long as the heap was not stirred, and the wind continued in the quarter it blew from then, the couch would not fla, even a coh it were nocouch was discovered in precisely the saht The heap smoked in the same manner the whole of that day: at bed-time the farmer looked towards it, but less carefully than on the first night

Theand the whole of the third day still saw the heap in its old s condition; indeed, the sht have to be re-kindled on theMrs Manston to his house in the evening, and hearing her retire, Mr Springrove returned to the front door to listen for a sound of his son, and inquired concerning him of the railway-porter, who sat for a while in the kitchen The porter had not noticed young Mr Springrove get out of the train, at which intelligence the old man concluded that he would probably not see his son till the next day, as Edward had hitherto ht Mrs Manston

Half-an-hour later the porter left the inn, Springrove at the saain an instant, then he walked round and in at the back of the house

The far; two nights of safety seemed to ensure the third; and he was about to bolt and bar as usual, when the idea struck him that there was just a possibility of his son's return by the latest train, unlikely as it was that he would be so delayed The old man thereupon left the door unfastened, looked to his usualthen half-past ten o'clock