Page 228 (1/1)

'Very,' said Manston 'Well, I suppose we had better step along a little quicker, Mr Springrove; the parson's bell has just begun' 'Number forty-nine,' he murmured

4 MARCH THE TWELFTH Edward received Owen's letter in due tiements he could not attend to any request till the clock had struck five in the afternoon Rushing then from his office in Westminster, he called a hansom and proceeded to Hoxton A few minutes later he knocked at the door of nu of Mrs Manston

A tall man ould have looked extremely handsoarments that were much too elderly in style for his years, stood at the corner of the quiet square at the sahted fro Old Street in Edward's rear He srove knocked

Nobody caht out two people--one at the door he had been knocking upon, the other frorove

'No, sir' 'When will he be in?' 'Quite uncertain' 'Can you tell , sir That's Mr Brown' Edward looked down the pavement in the direction pointed out by the wo He proceeded a few steps to meet him

Edas impatient, and to a certain extent still a countryman, who had not, after the manner of city ht without preface He said in a quiet tone to the stranger, 'One ith you--do you reer of yours of the narove, so end

'I have never let lodgings in my life,' he said, after his survey

'Didn't you attend an inquest a year and a half ago, at Carriford?' 'Never knew there was such a place in the world, sir; and as to lodgings, I have taken acres first and last during the last thirty years, but I have never let an inch' 'I suppose there is some mistake,' Edward murmured, and turned away

He and Mr Broere now opposite the door next to the one he had knocked at The wo there had heard the inquiry and the result of it