Larkspur's knowledge. When
the party who had led the search for Lionel Dale returned to the
rectory, and the worst was known, Mr. Larkspur went away, after having
arranged with a small boy, who did odd jobs for the gardener at
Hallgrove, that if the body was brought home in the morning, he should
go over to Frimley, on consideration of half-a-crown, and inquire at
the inn for Mr. Bennett.
"It's no good thinking about what's to be done, till the body's found,
and the inquest settled," thought Mr. Larkspur. "I don't think anything
can be done _then_, but it's clear there's no use in thinking about it
to-night. So I shall just tell my lady so, and get to bed. Confound
that pony!"
At a reasonably early hour on the following morning, the juvenile
messenger arrived from Hallgrove, and, on inquiring for Mr. Bennett,
was ushered into the presence of Mr. Larkspur. The intelligence he
brought was brief, but important. The rector's body had been found,
much disfigured; he had struck against a tree, the doctors said, in
falling into the river, and been killed by the blow, "as well as
drownded," added the boy, with some appreciation of the additional
piquancy of the circumstance. He was laid out in the library. The fine
folks were gone, or going, except Squire Mordaunt and Sir Reginald, the
rector's cousin. Mr. Douglas took on about it dreadfully; the bay horse
had come home, with his saddle wet, but he was not hurt or cut about,
as the boy knew of.
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