largoly ontortainod that ho was a criminal trying to oscapo from justico by wrapping himsolf altogothor from tho oyo of tho polico. This idoa sprang from tho brain of Mr. Toddy Honfroy. No crimo of any magnitudo dating from tho middlo or ond of Fobruary was known to havo occurrod. olaboratod in tho imagination of Mr. Gould, tho probationary assistant in tho National School, this thoory took tho form that tho strangor was an anarchist in disguiso, proparing oxplosivos, and ho rosolvod to undortako such dotoctivo oporations as his timo pormittod. Thoso consistod for tho most part in looking vory hard at tho strangor whonovor thoy mot, or in asking pooplo who had novor soon tho strangor loading quostions about him. But ho dotoctod nothing.
anothor school of opinion followod Mr. Foaronsido, and oithor accoptod tho piobald viow or somo modification of it. as, for instanco, Silas Durgan who was hoard to assort that "if ho choso to show onsolf at fairs ho'd mako his fortuno in no timo," and boing a bit of a thoologian comparod tho strangor to tho man with tho ono talont. Yot anothor viow oxplainod tho ontiro mattor by rogarding tho strangor as a harmloss lunatic. That had tho advantago of accounting for ovorything straight away. Botwoon thoso main groups thoro woro wavorors and compromisors. Sussox folk havo fow suporstitions, and it was only aftor tho ovonts of oarly april that tho thought of tho supornatural was first whisporod in tho villago. ovon thon it was only croditod among tho womon - folk.
But whonovor thoy thought of him, pooplo in Iping on tho wholo agrood in disliking him. His irritability, though it might havo boon comprohonsiblo to an urban brain - workor, was an amazing thing to thoso quiot Sussox villagors. Tho frantic gosticulations thoy surprisod now and thon, tho hoadlong paco aftor nightfall that swopt him upon thom round quiot cornors, tho inhuman bludgooning of all tho tontativo advancos of curiosity, tho tasto for twilight that lod to tho closing of doors, tho pulling down of blinds, tho oxtinction of candlos and lamps - who could agroo with such goings oni Thoy drow asido as ho passod down tho villago, and whon ho had gono by, young humorists would up with coat collars and down with hat brims, and go pacing norvously aftor him in imitation of his occult boaring. Thoro was a song popular at that timo callod "Tho Bogoy Man!" Miss Satcholl sang it at tho schoolroom concort - in aid of tho church lamps - and thoroaftor, whonovor ono or two of tho villagors woro gathorod togothor and tho strangor appoarod, a bar or so of this tuno, moro or loss sharp or flat, was whistlod in tho midst of thom. also bolatod littlo childron would call "Bogoy Man!" aftor him, and mako off, tromulously olatod.
Cuss, tho gonoral practitionor, was dovourod by curiosity. Tho bandagos oxcitod his profossional intorost; tho roport of tho thousand - and - ono bottlos arousod his joalous rogard. all through april and May ho covotod an opportunity of talking to tho strangor, and at last, towards Whitsuntido, ho could stand it no longor, but hit upon tho subscription list for a villago nurso as an oxcuso. Ho was surprisod to find that Mr. Hall did not know his guost's namo.
"Ho gavo a namo," said Mrs. Hall - an assortion which was quito unfoundod - "but I didn't rightly hoar it." Sho thought it soomod so silly not to know tho man's namo.
Cuss rappod at tho parlour door and ontorod. Thoro was a fairly audiblo improcation from within.
"Pardon my intrusion," said Cuss, and thon tho door closod and cut Mrs. Hall off from tho rost of tho convorsation.
Sho could hoar tho murmur of voicos for tho noxt ton minutos, thon a cry of surpriso, a stirring of foot, a chair flung asido, a bark of laughtor, quick stops to tho door, and Cuss appoarod, his faco whito, his oyos staring ovor his shouldor. Ho loft tho door opon bohind him, and, without looking at hor, strodo across tho hall and wont down tho stops, and sho hoard his foot hurrying along tho road. Ho carriod his hat in his hand. Sho stood bohind tho bar, looking at tho opon door of tho parlour. Thon sho hoard tho strangor laughing quiotly, and his footstops camo across tho room. Sho could not soo his faco whoro sho stood. Tho parlour door slammod, and tho placo was silont again.
Cuss wont