hard cash-第112章

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　was。　And　I　am　no　contemptible　judge；　for　I　have　accumulated　during　the　last　few　years　a　large　collection　of　letters　from　persons　deranged　in　various　degrees；　and　studied　them　minutely；　more　minutely　than　most　Psychologicals　study　anything　but　Pounds；　Shillings；　and　Verbiage。

The　letter　went；　and　he　hoped　but　scarcely　expected　an　answer　by　return　of　post。　It　did　not　come。　He　said　to　his　heart；　〃Be　still；〃　and　waited。　Another　day　went　by；　and　another：　he　gnawed　his　heart　and　waited：　he　pined；　and　waited　on。　The　Secret　Tribunal；　which　was　all　a　shallow　legislature　had　left　him；　〃took　it　easy。〃　Secret　Tribunals　always　do。

But；　while　the　victim…suitor　longed　and　pined　and　languished　for　one　sound　from　the　voice　of　Justice　and　Humanity；　and　while　the　Secret　Tribunal；　not　being　in　prison　itself　all　this　time；　〃took　it　easy；〃　events　occurred　at　Barkington　that　bade　fair　to　throw　open　the　prison　doors　and　bring　father　and　son；　bride　and　bridegroom；　together　again　under　one　roof。

But　at　what　a　price。



CHAPTER　XXXV

AT　sight　of　Sampson's　placard　Mr。　Hardie　was　seized　with　a　tremor　that　suspended　the　razor　in　mid　air：　he　opened　the　window；　and　glared　at　the　doctor's　notice。

At　this　moment　he　himself　was　a　picture：　not　unlike　those　half　cleaned　portraits　the　picture　restorers　hang　out　as　specimens　of　their　art。

〃Insolent　interfering　fool；〃　he　muttered；　and　began　to　walk　the　room　in　agitation。　After　a　while　he　made　a　strong　effort；　shaved　the　other　half；　and　dressed　slowly；　thinking　hard　all　the　time。　The　result　was；　he　went　out　before　breakfast　（which　he　had　not　done　for　years）；　and　visited　Mr。　Bakerfor　what　purpose　has　been　already　shown。

On　his　return；　Jane　was　waiting　breakfast。　The　first　word　to　him　was：　〃Papa；　have　you　seen？〃

〃What；　the　Reward！〃　said　he　indifferently。　〃Yes；　I　noticed　it　at　our　door　as　I　came　home。〃

Jane　said　it　was　a　very　improper　and　most　indelicate　interference　in　their　affairs；　and　went　on　to　say　with　heightened　colour：　〃I　have　just　told　Peggy　to　take　it　down。

〃Not　for　the　world！〃　cried　Mr。　Hardie；　losing　all　his　calmness　real　or　feigned；　and　he　rang　the　bell　hastily。　On　Peggy's　appearing；　he　said　anxiously；　〃I　do　not　wish　that　Notice　interfered　with。〃

〃I　shouldn't　think　of　touching　it　without　your　order；　sir；〃　said　she　quietly；　and　shot　him　a　feline　glance　from　under　her　pale　lashes。

Jane　coloured；　and　looked　a　little　mortified：　but　on　Peggy's　retiring；　Mr。　Hardie　explained　that；　whether　judicious　or　not；　it　was　a　friendly　act　of　Dr。　Sampson's；　and　to　pull　down　his　notice　would　look　like　siding　with　the　boy　against　those　he　had　injured：　〃Besides；〃　said　he；　〃why　should　you　and　I　burk　inquiry？　Ill　as　he　has　used　me；　I　am　his　father；　and　not　altogether　without　anxiety。　Suppose　those　doctors　should　be　right　about　him；　you　know？〃

Jane　had　for　some　time　been　longing　to　call　at　Albion　Villa　and　sympathise　with　her　friend；　and　now　curiosity　was　superadded：　she　burned　to　know　whether　the　Dodds　knew　of　or　approved　this　placard。　She　asked　her　father　whether　he　thought　she　could　go　there　with　propriety。　〃Why　not？〃　said　he　cheerfully；　and　with　assumed　carelessness。

In　reality　it　was　essential　to　him　that　Jane　should　visit　the　Dodds。　Surrounded　by　pitfalls；　threatened　with　a　new　and　mysterious　assailant　in　the　eccentric；　but　keen　and　resolute　Sampson；　this　artful　man；　who　had　now　become　a　very　Machiavelconstant　danger　and　deceit　had　so　sharpened　and　deepened　his　great　natural　abilitieswas　preparing　amongst　other　defences　a　shield；　and　that　shield　was　a　sieve；　and　that　sieve　was　his　daughter。　In　fact；　ever　since　his　return；　he　had　acted　and　spoken　at　the　Dodds　through　Jane；　but　with　a　masterly　appearance　of　simplicity　and　mere　confidential　intercourse。　At　least　I　think　this　is　the　true　clue　to　all　his　recent　remarks。

Jane；　a　truthful；　unsuspicious　girl；　was　all　the　fitter　instrument　of　the　cunning　monster。　She　went　and　called　at　Albion　Villa；　and　was　received　by　Edward；　Mrs。　Dodd　being　upstairs　with　Julia；　and　in　five　minutes　she　had　told　him　what　her　father；　she　owned；　had　said　to　her　in　confidence。　〃But；〃　said　she；　〃the　reason　I　repeat　these　things　is　to　make　peace；　and　that　you　may　not　fancy　there　is　any　one　in　our　house　so　cruel；　so　unchristian；　as　to　approve　Alfred's　perfidy。　Oh；　and　papa　said　candidly　he　disliked　the　match；　but　then　he　disliked　this　way　of　ending　it　far　more。〃

Mrs。　Dodd　came　down　in　due　course；　and　kissed　her；　but　told　her　Julia　could　not　see　even　her　at　present。　〃I　think；　dear；〃　said　she；　〃in　a　day　or　two　she　will　see　you；　but　no　one　else：　and　for　her　sake　we　shall　now　hurry　our　departure　from　this　place；　where　she　was　once　so　happy。〃

Mrs。　Dodd　did　not　like　to　begin　about　Alfred；　but　Jane　had　no　such　scruples；　she　inveighed　warmly　against　his　conduct；　and　ere　she　left　the　house；　had　quite　done　away　with　the　faint　suspicion　Sampson　had　engendered；　and　brought　both　Mrs。　Dodd　and　Edward　back　to　their　original　opinion　that　the　elder　Hardie　had　nothing　on　earth　to　do　with　the　perfidy　of　the　younger。

Just　before　dinner　a　gentleman　called　on　Edward；　and　proved　to　be　a　policeman　in　plain　clothes。　He　had　been　sent　from　the　office　to　sound　the　ostler　at　the　〃White　Lion；〃　and；　if　necessary；　to　threaten　him。　The　police　knew；　though　nobody　else　in　Barkington　did；　that　this　ostler　had　been　in　what　rogues　call　trouble；　twice；　and；　as　the　police　can　starve　a　man　of　the　kind　by　blowing　on　him；　and　can　reward　him　by　keeping　dark；　he　knows　better　than　withhold　information　from　them。

However；　on　looking　for　this　ostler；　he　had　left　his　place　that　very　morning；　had　decamped　with　mysterious　suddenness。

Here　was　a　puzzle。

Had　the　man　gone　without　noticing　the　reward？　Had　somebody　outbid　the　reward？　Or　was　it　a　strange　coincidence；　and　did　he　after　all　know　nothing？

The　police　thought　it　was　no　coincidence；　and　he　did　know　something；　so　they　had　telegraphed　to　the　London　office　to　mark　him　down。

Edward　thanked　his　visitor；　but；　on　his　retiring；　told　his　mother　he　could　make　neither　head　nor　tail　of　it；　and　she　only　said；　〃We　seem　surrounded　by　mystery。〃

Meantime；　unknown　to　these　bewildered　ones；　Greek　was　meeting　Greek　only　a　few　yards　off。

Mr。　Hardie　was　being　undermined　by　a　man　of　his　own　calibre；　one　too　cautious　to　communicate　with　the　Dodds；　or　any　one　else；　till　his　work　looked　ripe。

The　game　began　thus：　a　decent　mechanic；　who　lodged　hard　by；　lounging　with　his　pipe　near　the　gate　of　Musgrove　Cottage；　offered　to　converse　with　old　Betty。　She　gave　him　a　rough　answer；　but　with　a　touch　of　ineradicable　vanity　must　ask　Peggy　if　she　wanted　a　sweetheart；　because　there　was　a　hungry　one　at　the　gate：　〃Why：　he　wanted　to　begin　on　an　old　woman　like　me。〃　Peggy　inquired　what　he　had　said　to　her。

〃Oh；　he　begun　where　most　of　them　endsif　they　get　so　far　at　all：　axed　me　was　I　comfortable　here；　if　not；　he　knew　a　young　man　wanted　a　nice　tidy　body　to　keep　house　for　him。〃

Peggy　pricked　up　her　ears；　and；　in　less　than　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　went　for　a　box　of　lucifers　in　a　new　bonnet　and　clean　collar。　She　tripped　past　the　able　mechanic　very　accidentally；　and　he　bestowed　an　admiring　smile　on　her；　but　said　nothingonly　smoked。　However；　on　her　return；　he　contrived　to　detain　her；　and　paid　her　a　good　many　compliments；　which　she　took　laughingly　and　with　no　great　appearance　of　believing　them。　However；　there　is　no　going　by　that：　compliments　sink：　and　within　forty…eight　hours　the　able　mechanic　had　become　a　hot　wooer　of　Peggy　Black；　always　on　the　look…out　for　her　day　and　night；　and　telling　her　all　about　the　lump　of　money　he　had　saved；　and　how　he　could　double　his　income；　if　he　had　but　a　counter；　and　tidy　wife　behind　it。　Peggy　gossiped　in　turn；　and　let　out　amongst　the　rest　that　she　had　been　turned　off　once；　just　for　answering　a　little　sharply；　and　now　it　was　the　other　way；　her　master　was　a　trifle　too　civil　at　times。

〃Who　could　help　it？〃　said　the　able　mechanic　rapturously；　and　offered　a　pressing　civility；　which　Peggy　fought　off。

〃Not　so　free；　young　man；〃　said　she。　〃Kissing　is　the　prologue　to　sin。〃

〃How　do　you　know　that？〃　inquired　the　able　mechanic；　with　the　sly　humour　of　his　class。

〃It　is　a　saying；〃　replied　Peggy　demurely。

At　last；　one　night；　Mr。　Green　the　detective；　fo