If it had been the
other gentleman's spirit, Mr. John's, I should have told him at once."
Mr. Bourne rose. To argue with old Matthew in his present frame of mind,
appeared to be about as useless a waste of time as to argue with Susan
Peckaby on the subject of the white donkey. He told him he would see him
again in a day or two, and took his departure.
But he did not dismiss the subject from his thoughts. No, he could not
do that. He was puzzled. Such a tale from one like old Matthew--calm,
pious, sensible, and verging on the grave, made more impression on Mr.
Bourne than all Deerham could have made. Had Deerham come to him with
the story, he would have flung it to the winds.
He began to think that some person, from evil design or love of
mischief, must be personating Frederick Massingbird. It was a natural
conclusion. And Matthew's surmise, that the same thing might have
alarmed Dan Duff, was perfectly probable. Mr. Bourne determined to
ascertain the latter fact, as soon as Dan should be in a state of
sufficient convalescence, bodily and mentally, to give an account.
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