“Perhaps not, sir. But it makes no great matter in tradin’ horses; church and the vorld is much of a muchness.”
“Did that reporting gentleman ask any questions concerning the owner, as well as concerning the horses?”
“Vhy, yes, sir; vhen he vas done vith the animals, he did make a few obserwations about the doctor. He vanted to know if he vas married yet, and vhen it vas to happen; and how much I thought he might be vorth, and how much Mrs. Updyke vas counted for; and if there vas children; and vhich house the family vas to live in; and vhere he should keep the slate, arter the veddin’ had come off; and how much the doctor’s practice vas vorth; and vhether he vas vhig or locy; and, most of all, he vanted to know vhy he and you, sir, should go to Biberry about this murder.”
“What did you tell him, Stephen, in reference to the last?”
“Vhat could I, sir? I don’t know, myself. I’ve druv’ the doctor often and often to see them that has died soon arter our wisit; but I never druv’ him, afore, to wisit the dead. That gentleman seemed to think he vas much mistaken about the skeletons; but it’s all in the paper, sir.”
On hearing this, Dunscomb quickly turned to the columns of the journal again, and was soon reading their contents aloud to his friend; in the meantime, Stephen set Marygoold and Dandelion in motion once more.
The account was much as Dunscomb expected to find it; so written as to do no possible good, while it might do a great deal of harm. The intention was to feed a morbid feeling in the vulgar for exaggerated accounts of the shocking—the motive being gain. Anything that would sell, was grist for this mill; and the more marvellous and terrible the history of the event could be made, the greater was the success likely to be. The allusions to Mary Monson were managed with a good deal of address; for, while there was a seeming respect for her rights, the reader was left to infer that her guilt was not only beyond a question, but of the darkest dye. It was while reading and commenting on these articles, that the carriage entered Broadway, and soon set Dunscomb down at his own door. There the doctor left it; choosing to walk as far as Mrs. Updyke’s, rather than give Stephen more materials for the reporter.
CHAPTER VI.
“Then none was for a party;
Then all were for the state;