The Mission of Poubalov — page 120: what you’re looking at

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

116 A NEW DEPARTULE, lieve. Iam trying simply to satisfy myself, and you won’t refuse to help.” ~ ot “No, I won’t,’’ replied O’Brien; ‘‘but what I can say won’t do you no good. This was how it was. I had to go out to the front of the depot for something, and just as I got there, Billings drove up a closed carriage. I thought he nodded as if he wanted me, so | stepped forward. He pulled up further on than where carriages generally stop, and was in a place all by himself. I was the only one mee ‘Hello,’ says I, ‘how long you been driving?’ ‘Mind your own business,’ says he, and he whipped up and droye off. While I was speaking to him a man had got out of the carriage and gone into the depot. I didn’t see him to know him, didn’t pay any- attention to him, for he went quickly, and I was wondering about Billings.” pe says you came forward to get om passenger’s gage,’ ‘ *Tain’t so. That ain’t my line of work.”’ ‘*Didn’t the passenger pay his fare?”’ ‘‘Not there. He went straight into the depot.”’ ‘‘Why did you ask Billings that question?”’ ‘* *Cause I didn’t know he’d got into the cab busine He used to be a porter.’’ Clara thanked O’Brien, said she might call again if any other questions occurred to her, and the young ladies went on to Ashburton Place. Billings had lied, but it mig . have been Ivan, nevertheless, who went into the station from the closed carriage. Mrs. White’s greeting was marked by constraint, ¢ she sat in distressed silence for a moment after Clara : Louise entered. At length she said: ‘People will talk so! I’m sure you’ve been very gc and brave, Miss Hilman, but what is one to think?” ‘*T don’t know what you mean, Mrs. White.’’ ‘‘Well, don’t you see, lots of my friends have called, s ing Lizzie’s name in the papers, and Mr. Strobel’s, é ni they will have it that they eloped.” €omicbooks.com *~ 4 A .. tf ee