For one hour or so after breakfast the occupants of the parlour of the “Dun Cow” contented themselves with watching the passengers in the road from the bay window of their snug little apartment.
Mr. Wrench had letters to answer which were sent from Scotland-yard. There was one also from Lord Ethalwood, in which the writer besought him to do his best to discover the murderer of Mr. Philip Jamblin.
A detective’s life is both an anxious and an arduous one, make the best of it.
The earl’s letter, of course, had to be answered by return of post. Mr. Wrench had little or nothing to communicate at present, but he deemed it expedient to write off and inform his lordship that his injunctions would not be disregarded.
When he had finished his correspondence, which was necessarily very brief, the detective informed his two companions that he was ready to accompany them to the fair.
Many of our readers are doubtless very well acquainted with the most noticeable features of a country fair. When held in a picturesque locality it is a sight worth seeing.
Fairs and wakes are of Saxon origin, and date back for many hundreds of years. The former were instituted in England by Alfred, in the year 886.
Wakes were established by order of Gregory VII. in 1049, and termed Feriæ, at which the monks celebrated the festival of their patron saints.
Fairs were established in France about 800 by Charlemagne, and encouraged in England about 1071 by William the Conqueror.
They may be said to be identified with the history of our country.