The Iron Horse | Page 4

in the bypath that led to it sounded quite intrusive.
He was a tall broad-shouldered man in a large pilot coat, cap and boots, and appeared to walk somewhat lame as he approached the door. He tried the handle. It was locked, of course.
"I thought so," he muttered in a low bass voice; "so much for a bad memory."
He rapped twice on the door, loudly, with his knuckles and then kicked it with his boot. Vain hope! If a burglar with a sledge-hammer had driven the door in, he would have failed to tickle the drum of any ear there. The man evidently was aware of this, for, changing his plan, he went round to a back window on the ground-floor, and opened it at the top with some difficulty. Peeping in he gazed for some time intently, and then exclaimed under his breath, "Ha! it's open by good luck." Gathering a handful of gravel, he threw it into the house with considerable force.
The result proved that he had not aimed at random, for the shower entered the open door of Nanny's sleeping-cellar and fell smartly on her face.
It is well-known that sailors, although capable of slumbering through loud and continuous noises, can be awakened by the slightest touch, so likewise Nanny. On receiving the shower of gravel she incontinently buried her head in the blankets, drew an empty coal-scuttle over her shoulders and began to shout thieves! and murder! at the top of her voice. Having taken such pains to muffle it, of course no one heard her cries. The man, if a burglar, had evidently a patient philosophical turn of mind, for he calmly waited till the damsel was exhausted, and when she at length peeped out to observe the effect of her heroic efforts at self-preservation he said quietly, "Nanny, lass, don't be a fool! It's me; open the door; I've gone an' forgot my latch-key."
"Oh la! master, it ain't you, is it? It ain't thieves and robbers, is it?"
"No, no. Open the door like a good girl."
"And it ain't an accident, is it?" continued Nanny partially dressing in haste. "Oh, I knows it's a accident, Missus always prophesied as a accident would come to pass some day, which has come true. You're not maimed, master?"
"No, no; be quick, girl!"
"Nor Willum ain't maimed, is he? He ain't dead? Oh don't say Willum is--"
"Bill Garvie's all right," said the engine-driver, as he brushed past the girl and went up-stairs.
Now, although Mrs Marrot's ears were totally deaf to locomotives they were alert enough to the sound of her husband's voice. When, therefore, he entered the kitchen, he found her standing on the floor with an ample shawl thrown round her.
"Nothing wrong?" she inquired anxiously.
"Nothing, Molly, my dear, only I got a slight bruise on the leg in the engine-shed to-day, and I had to go up an' show it to the doctor, d'ye see, before comin' home, which has made me later than usual."
"Are you sure it's not a back hurt, father?" asked Loo, coming in at the moment--also enveloped in a shawl, and looking anxious.
"Sure? ay, I'm sure enough; it's only a scratch. See here."
Saying this he removed one of his boots, and pulling up his trousers displayed a bandaged leg.
"Well, but we can't see through the bandages, you know," said Mrs Marrot.
"Let me take them off, father, and I'll replace--"
"Take 'em off!" exclaimed John, pulling down the leg of his trouser and rising with a laugh. "No, no, Loo; why, it's only just bin done up all snug by the doctor, who'd kick up a pretty shindy if he found I had undid it. There's one good will come of it anyhow, I shall have a day or two in the house with you all; for the doctor said I must give it a short rest. So, off to bed again, Loo. This is not an hour for a respectable young woman to be wanderin' about in her night-dress. Away with you!"
"Was any one else hurt, father?" said Loo. She asked the question anxiously, but there was a slight flush on her cheek and a peculiar smile which betrayed some hidden feeling.
"No one else," returned her father. "I tell 'ee it wasn't an accident at all--it was only a engine that brushed up agin me as I was comin' out o' the shed. That's all; so I just came home and left Will Garvie to look after our engine. There, run away."
Loo smiled, nodded and disappeared, followed by Mrs Marrot, who went, like a sensible woman, to see that her alarmed domestic was all right. While she was away John went to the crib and kissed the rosy cheek of his sleeping boy. Then he bent over the bed with the white dimity curtains to Miss Gertie's forehead,