Detective Bob Bridger — page 246: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

DETECTIVE BOB BRIDGER. 239 ‘Don’t be moindin’ the lad. He’s a little daft, but, for al\ that, he’s awful knowin’ and cunnin’, and I loves him.” He is an Englishman, is he not?” asked the clergyman. ‘Oh, it’s mesilf don’t know phat his nationality is, yer riverence. Oi’ve sometimes thought he moight be a cross betune a kangaroo and an elephant. But niver do ye moini ; it’s all right.” ‘Well, what is his name?” ‘‘Billy’s all I knows, yer riverence. But Oi’ve named him William McGinty, afther my own dear, dead ould father., And, yer riverence, if ye’ll bless the name to him, and perform the ceremony, ye shall have the twinty dollars.” Much to Meg’s amazement and disappointment, the clergyman would not perform the ceremony until all the rules of the church had been complied with. One of these rules was that the names of the couple should be ‘‘called out” in church for two successive Sundays. There could -be no exception to these rules, the clergyman said, and they had to submit. The long wait was irksome to the anxious Meg, but the eventful day came at last, and on it Billy and she were made man and wife. Meg determined to keep her marriage a secret even from Annette, but the facts leaked out when she had boarded the train in the evening. The party from the hotel had accompanied the couple to the train, and were sitting and awaiting the signal for its departure at the time in the sleeping-car. The Scoteh detective had assured Meg that she would find no difficulty in taking possession of her late husband’s property, and was promising to visit her soon in company with Annette, Mr. Macy, and Bridger, when the conductor of the car came by. ‘‘I wish to pay you for these two sections,” said the scotch detective, indicating the two opposite compart- ments in which the party sat. ‘“Whoy?” quoth Meg. ‘‘There’s no one going but Billy an’ mesilf, is there ?” ‘‘That’s all.” ‘Thin one sickshont will be all that yez need pay for.” Annette started and glared at Meg in mute astonishment. -“Och, sure, thin, Annette,” said Meg, ‘‘ye nadn’t be puttin’ on such a look av outrageous wondermint. Thare it is for ye to rade for yersilf, and Qi’m not ashamed of it nayther,”’ Eomicbooks «GO m