The Argosy, Vol. 29

"The Mysteries of Heron Dyke," serialized in this June 1880 issue, presents Chapter XVI: "The Twenty-Fourth of April." The narrative centers on Gilbert Denison of Nunham Priors, an elderly bibliophile and collector of rare antiquities, and his son Frank. On the squire's seventieth birthday, Gilbert reveals to Frank his suspicions regarding his cousin—also named Gilbert Denison—master of Heron Dyke. Through investigative reports from his solicitor's agent Nixon, Gilbert has uncovered troubling circumstances: the squire hired a new physician, isolated himself behind locked baize doors, restricted access to four individuals including a nurse from London, and has remained invisible to the community since December. The townspeople celebrate the squire's birthday, anticipating that his survival ensures his estate passes to his niece Miss Winter rather than to Gilbert's branch of the family. Dr. Spreckley, the former physician, remains disturbed by these mysterious developments.