The Vanishing Man by R. Austin (Richard Austin) Freeman
page 5 of 369 (01%)
page 5 of 369 (01%)
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the mummy was inspected on the fourteenth of October at Mr. Bellingham's
house by Dr. Norbury of the British Museum, in the presence of the donor and his solicitor, and the latter was authorised to hand over the complete collection to the British Museum authorities when the tomb-furniture arrived; which he has since done. "From Paris he seems to have returned on the twenty-third of November, and to have gone direct from Charing Cross to the house of a relative, a Mr. Hurst, who is a bachelor and lives at Eltham. He appeared at the house at twenty minutes past five, and as Mr. Hurst had not yet come down from town and was not expected until a quarter to six, he explained who he was and said he would wait in the study and write some letters. The housemaid accordingly showed him into the study, furnished him with writing materials, and left him. "At a quarter to six Mr. Hurst let himself in with his latchkey, and before the housemaid had time to speak to him he had passed through into the study and shut the door. "At six o'clock, when the dinner bell was rung, Mr. Hurst entered the dining-room alone, and, observing that the table was laid for two, asked the reason. "'I thought Mr. Bellingham was slaying to dinner, sir,' was The housemaid's reply. "'Mr. Bellingham!' exclaimed the astonished host. 'I didn't know he was here. Why was I not told?' "'I thought he was in the study with you, sir,' said the housemaid. |
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