le proper. But when I was going back to the bar, I
heard more. 'Along the river-side?' says the gentleman, 'Straight on
from where I am--all right.' Then after a minute, 'At seven-thirty,
then?' he says. 'All right--I'll meet you.' And after that he rings
off--and he went into the dining-room, and in due course he had his
chops, and some tart and cheese, and a pint of our bitter ale, and took
his time, and perhaps about a quarter past seven he came to the bar and
paid, and he took a drop of Scotch whisky. After which he says, 'It's
very possible, landlady, that I may have to stop in the town all
night--have you a nice room that you can let me?' 'Certainly, sir,' says
I. 'We've very good rooms, and bathrooms, and every convenience--shall I
show you one?' 'No,' says he, 'this seems a good house, and I'll take
your word for it--keep your best room for me, then.' And after that he
lighted a cigar and went out, saying he'd be back later, and he crossed
the road and went down on the river-bank, and walked slowly along
towards the bottom of the town. And Mr. Polke and company," concluded
Mrs. Pratt, solemnly turning from one listener to another, "that was the
last I saw of him. For--he never came back!"

"Never came back!" echoed Polke.

"Not even the ghost of him!" said Mrs. Pratt. "I waited up myself till
twelve, and then I decided that he'd changed his mind and was stopping
with somebody he knew, which person, Mr. Polke, I took to be Mr.
Horbury. Why? 'Cause he'd rung up Chestermarke's Bank--and who should he
want at Chestermarke's Bank at six o'clock of a Saturday evening but Mr.
Horbury? There wouldn't be nobody else there--as Mr. Neale'll agree."

"You never heard of this gentleman being in the town on Sunday or
today?" asked Polke.

"Not a word!" replied Mrs. Pratt. "And never saw him go to the station,
neither, to leave the town. Now, as you know, Mr. Polke, we've only two
trains go away from here on Sundays, and there's only four on any
week-day, us being naught but a branch line, and as our bar-parlour
window is exactly opposite the station, I see everybody that goes and
comes--I always was one for looking out of window! And I'm sure that
little gentleman didn't go away neither yesterday nor today. And that's
all I know," concluded Mrs. Pratt, rising, "and if it's any use to you,
you're welcome, and hopeful I am that your poor uncle'll be found, Miss,
for a nicer gentleman I could never wish to meet!"

Mrs. Prat