When you visit our website, if you give your consent, we will use cookies to allow us to collect data for aggregated statistics to improve our service and remember your choice for future visits. Cookie Policy & Privacy Policy
Dear Reader, we use the permissions associated with cookies to keep our website running smoothly and to provide you with personalized content that better meets your needs and ensure the best reading experience. At any time, you can change your permissions for the cookie settings below.
If you would like to learn more about our Cookie, you can click on Privacy Policy.
III –––––––– The door opened cautiously, as such doors in the Five Towns do, after a shooting of bolts and a loosing of chains; it opened to the extent of about nine inches, and Toby Hall saw the face of a middle-aged woman eyeing him. 'Is this Mrs Hall's?' he asked sternly. 'No. It ain't Mrs Hall's. It's Mrs Tansley's.' 'I thowt—' The door opened a little wider. 'That's not you, Tobias?' said the woman unmoved. 'I reckon it is, though,' replied Toby, with a difficult smile. 'Bless us!' exclaimed the woman. The door oscillated slightly under her hand. 'Bless us!' she repeated. And then suddenly, 'You'd happen better come in, Tobias.' 'Aye!' said Tobias. And he entered. 'Sit ye down, do,' said his wife. 'I thowt as you were dead. They wrote and told me so.' 'Aye!' said Tobias.