The Story of Antony Grace

THE MAN IN POSSESSION.

Mr Rowle came the day after the funeral, walking straight in, and,
nodding to cook, who opened the door, hung up his shabby hat in the
hall. Then, to my surprise, he took it down again, and after gazing
into it as Mr Blakeford used to do in his when he came over to our
church, he turned it round, made an offer as if about to put it on wrong
way first, reconsidered the matter, put it on in the regular way, and as
it seemed to me drew his sword.

But it was not his sword, only a very long clay pipe which he had been
carrying up his left sleeve, with the bowl in his hand. Then, thrusting
the said hand into his tail-pocket, he brought out a little roll of
tobacco, upon which was printed, as I afterwards saw, a small woodcut,
and the conundrum, "When is a door not a door?"

"Ho!" said cook; "I suppose you're the--"