There was no procession to church that day and no mayoral banquet that night, but Sicaster had plenty to talk of, and it is a gossip-loving town. And the shameful story was all true. The fire of many a long year before was a clever piece of incendiarism on Abraham Kellet's part, and his manager Aynesley had detected his guilt and had been squared by Abraham, who had subsequently endeavoured, to put a nice phrase on it, to have him removed. And Aynesley had sworn revenge, and had worked and schemed until he, too, was a rich man—and he had bided his time, waiting to pull Abraham from the pinnacle of his glory just as he reached it.
Vanity of vanities—all is vanity! It is time for our nightcaps.
GOOD-NIGHT.
RICHARD CLAY & SONS, LIMITED,
BREAD STREET HILL, E.C., AND
BUNGAY, SUFFOLK.
*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MR. POSKITT'S NIGHTCAPS ***