"It ain't my place to give an opinion upon this here
subjick. It might be said as I was jealous of the landlord of the 'Cat
and Fiddle,' and owed him a grudge. All I says is this: it's a very
queer circumstance as the landlord of the 'Cat and Fiddle' should
disappear from the village directly after little Miss Eversleigh
disappeared from the castle. You may put two and two together, and you
may make 'em into four, if you like," added Mr. Harris, with profound
solemnity; "or you may leave it alone. That's your business."
"I'll tell you what it is," said the butler; "I've had a chat with old
Mother Smithson since the disappearance of the young lady; and from
what I've heard, it's pretty clear to my mind that business wasn't
managed by any one outside the castle. It couldn't be. There was some
one inside had a hand in it. I wouldn't mind staking a twelvemonth's
wages on that, Matthew and you musn't be offended if I seem to go
against your fellow-servants."
"I ain't offended, and I ain't pleased," answered Matthew, testily;
"all I can say is, as I don't like so much cross-questioning. There's a
sort of a lawyer chap has come down to-day with my lady, I hear, though
I ain't set eyes on him yet; and I suppose he'll find out all about
it."
No more was said upon the subject of the lost heiress, or the landlord
of the "Cat and Fiddle."
The subject was evidently, for some reason or other, unpleasant to Mr.
Pages:
637
638
639
640
641
642
643
644
645
646
647
648
649
650
651
652
653
654
655
656
657
658
659
660
661