He then began on his own line of search. Relying
on Tom's news, he went to the office of the Western
Union Telegraph and concocted this despatch, which he
thought a masterpiece.
GREENSBURG, Westmoreland Co., Pa.
TO ROBERT JOHN WHILTHAUGH:
When and where can I see you on important business?
Answer.
BEVERLY MOLYNEUX, for THOMAS MOLYNEUX.
Then he took a walk, and after half an hour called at
the office again. The office was still engaged in
calling Greensburg. Greensburg was eating its Christmas
dinner. But at last Greensburg was called. Then Beverly
received this answer:--
Whilthaugh has been dead more than a year.
GREENSBURG.
To which Beverly replied:--
Where does his wife live, or his administrator?
To which Greensburg, having been called a second time
with difficulty, replied:--
His wife is crazy, and we never heard of any property.
GREENSBURG.
With this result of his investment as a non-dividend
member of the great Western Union Mutual Information
Club, Beverly returned home, chewing the cud of sweet and
bitter fancies.
"There is no speech nor language," sang the choir in
St. Matthews as he passed, "where their voice is not
heard. Their line is gone out through all the
earth--" And Tom heard no more, as he passed on.
As he walked, almost unwillingly, up the street to
the high steps of his father's house, Matty, out of
breath, overtook him.
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