The Iron Horse | Page 4

beings, trailing behind it.
The temporary silence round the house was very intense, as may well
be believed--so much so that the heavy foot-fall of a man 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