ADVENTURE AT THE CASTLE 35 



Miss Grimshaw laughed. " Well," she said. 

 " it was Mr French's mistake. Let us find the car. 

 I suppose you are going to drive me? " 



" It's fifteen miles to Drumgool, miss," said 

 Moriarty. " Mr Frinch tould me to say you were 

 to be sure and have some tay at the hotel here 

 afther your journey; it's only across the road — " 



" Thanks," said Miss Grimshaw. 



She followed Moriarty and the porter to the 

 station gate; an outside car, varnished, silver- 

 plated as to fittings, and very up-to-date, stood 

 near the wicket. A big roan mare with a temper 

 was in the shafts, and a bare-footed gossoon was 

 holding on to the bridle. 



The station inn across the road flung its creaking 

 sign to the wind from the moors, seeming to beckon, 

 and Miss Grimshaw came. 



The front door was open and a dirty child was 

 playing in the passage. Miss Grimshaw passed the 

 child, knocked at a door on the left of the passage, 

 and receiving no answer opened it to find a bar- 

 room, smelhng vilely of bad tobacco and spirits. 

 She closed the door and opened one on the right 

 of the passage, to find a stuffy sitting-room with 

 a stuffed dog under a glass case for its presiding 

 genius. 



Two clocks stood on the mantelpiece, one 

 pointing to three, the other to twelve — neither of 

 them going; a sofa covered with American cloth, 

 chairs to match, a picture of the Day of Judgment, 

 some dusty sea- shells and a drugget carpet com- 



