Chapter XLVI.

Grey River Argus, Volume XIII, Issue 1642, 8 November 1873, Page 4

Chapter XLVI.

Not caring to bestow any further thought upon Lafleur 's letter for the present, Dick Mortiboy went on to the post-office, to find out Frank, if possible. It was a poor little post-office, kept by a bookseller in a small way, perhaps a man who should be described as one who sold small books. Specimens of his wares were in the window, cheap religious books mostly, and the doorway was filled with theaffiche boards of daily papers. Dick found . a woman behind the counter, and stated his business. " I — I — don't think it's hardly regular," she said. " People come and get their letters here, but I don't know that I ought to tell you anything about them." b "There's five shillings. Now you will tell me." It was blunt, but effective. The woman took the shillings, put them in her pocket, and went oh at once. "I don't know anything about the j gentleman who has the letters addressed to him as Mr Melliship. Sometimes he comes- — a tall, fair-haired young man — quite the gentleman. Sometimes it's a young person." ,

"A girl you mean 1 A young lady?" She smiled superior, and tossed her head. ;

,' Not a lady, I should say, certainly. At least, I wouldn't compare her with myself. A young woman, sir." " Pretty as well as young V She bridled up. " That's a matter of opinion. I don't hold with a pink and rose face, and a bit of false hair." "Is that all you can tell me fs ; .

" That's all, sir, I'm sorry to say," replied the woman. " Then you've taken five shillings out of me on false pretences," said Dick, pretending to be in a rage. "I've a great mind to report you to head-quart-ers."; The woman; -turned' all colours. " Well, I won't this time, if you'll tell Mr Melliship or the young person, the next time the letters are. asked for, that his cousin has been' to lee him, and;: wants him particularly. ' On what day does the young person come ?" "On Monday morning always, sir, about eleven o'clock, unless he comes himself. Quite the gentleman, he is." He wa3 in the neighbourhood of Gray's Inn-road, and thought of Mrs Kneebone's. He took his way down that thoroughfare with a view of finding out if hadCbeen%eie| and; what she had done. : ■ ■■*«-..■■ Sitting at the entrance of the court was the boy Thoozy, looking wistfullydown in the direction of; Holborn. It was down the. street ihat little Bill had gone with the 1 swell, and he 1 naturally expected that , is was by ; that.. " way , he would return. Dick : touched him on the shoulder. He jumped up on his crutches, and grinned a perfect psean of joy. "Well, Thoozy," said Dick, "afid how's things ?" « How's little Bill ?" returned Thoozy. " Well and strong. He sent you a message a little while ago by a tramp. Didn't you get It?" "Never," said Thoozy. "Never. What was it?" "Only to send his love, and you were not to forget him," " I never forgets him," said the poor boy. "I got no one to talk to now he's gone ; and the old woman's took on dreadful with drink ever since the day Polly Tresler came." "Ah I what was that ? Tell me all about it, boy. Come into, the court, and sit on your own step." Mrs Kneebone saw them coming up the road, aiid :%embled. J ; Was, further information wanted, and" should she expose herself to another assault of an aggravated nature? She decided at once on her line of action ; and, putting on her shawl, she took a jug and a big key, so as to show that she meant business, and sailed down the stepsI " Me-thew-salem," she . said, with great sweetness," " I'm obliged for to go out for a little bit. Take care of | them blessed children while I'm away.; Good morning, sir. And it's hoping you found all that I told you c'rect." Dick nodded his head, and she passed on, seeing^ no ; prospect of further coin. ■■'■

"Now, Thoozy," said Dick, "tell me all about it." If Methoosalem had been born in a somewhat higher sphere of life ; if he had hot been lame; if his flesh, which was weak, had been equal to his spirit which was strong; if he had been educated for the stage — he might have made a low comedian of a very unusual kind. His talent was prodigious, but his training was defective. With an instinctive feeling that a vivid picture of Mrs Kneebone's discomfiture and Polly's subsequent disaster would be appreciated, Thoozy ' enacted the whole scene with a dramatic verve which set the tragedy vividly before his. listener. The boy forget his lameness and infirmity, . mimicked their voices, alternately doing Mrs Kneebone with her conciliatory hypocrisy, and Polly Svith her sulky disbelief. When he put in the finishing touch of Mrs Kneebone's really ill-natured remark about himself, Dick roared with laughter. "Look here, boy," he said— "you are not very anxious, I suppose, to stay here i all your life ?" . " I'm a old man/ said; Thqozy, with a comical leer. " I'm getting very old, and past work. I used to think I'd stay on here all my days ; but now little Bill is gone, and got I nobody to talk to, I think a change might do me good. My doctor did recommend," he added, waving his hand grandly, "that I should take six months' holiday, and go to one of bur country ; seais. ' With port wine. Says I must drink port wine, three glasses a-day. As the resident physicians, I couldn't spare the time ; but if you press me very hard, I might get away for a bit. I say, sir," he* went' on, in a changed voice, " let me see little Bill again. I won't do him no harm. I never did, that I knows on. Let me have a talk with him once more — only once."

Dick hesitated. Why should he not take the boy away ?• With all his quaint affectations, his oddities, and infirmities, he could do no harm to his adopted son. Why not take him too ? He took out a card case, and printed his address on it in pencil;— Once a-week."

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