hard cash-第113章
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〃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； for he it was； put his arm round his new sweetheart's waist； and approached the subject nearest his heart。 He told her he had just found out there was money enough to be made in one day to set them up for life in a nice little shop； and she could help in it。
After this inviting preamble； he crept towards the L。 14；000 by artful questions； and soon elicited that there had been high words between Master and Mr。 Alfred about that very sum： she had listened at the door and heard。 Taking care to combine close courtship with cunning interrogatories； he was soon enabled to write to Dr。 Sampson； and say that a servant of Mr。 Hardie's was down on him； and reported that he carried a large pocket…book in his breast…pocket by day； and she had found the dent of it under his pillow at nighta stroke of observation very creditable in an unprofessional female： on this he had made it his business to meet Mr。 Hardie in broad day； and sure enough the pocket…book was always there。 He added； that the said Hardie's face wore an expression which he had seen more than once when respectable parties went in for felony： and altogether thought they might now take out a warrant and proceed in the regular way。
Sampson received this news with great satisfaction： but was crippled by the interwoven relations of the parties。
To arrest Mr。 Hardie on a warrant would entail a prosecution for felony； and separate Jane and Edward for ever。
He telegraphed Green to meet him at the station； and reached Barkington at eight that very evening。 Green and he proceeded to Albion Villa； and there they held a long and earnest consultation with Edward； and at last； on certain conditions； Mr。 Green and Edward consented to act on Sampson's plan。 Green； by this time； knew all Mr。 Hardie's out…of…door habits； and assured them that at ten o'clock he would walk up and down the road for at least half an hour； the night being dry。 It wanted about a quarter to ten； when Mrs。 Dodd came down； and proposed supper to the travellers。 Sampson declined it for the present； and said they had work to do at eleven。 Then； making the others a signal not to disclose anything at present he drew her aside and asked after Julia。
Mrs。 Dodd sighed〃She goes from one thing to another； but always returns to one idea； that he is a victim； not a traitor。〃
〃Well； tell her in one hour the money shall be in the house。〃
〃The money！ What does she care？〃
〃Well； say we shall know all about Alfred by eleven o'clock。〃
〃My dear friend； be prudent；〃 said Mrs。 Dodd。 〃I feel alarmed： you were speaking almost in a whisper when I came in。〃
〃Y' are very obsairvant： but dawnt be uneasy； we are three to one。 Just go and comfort Miss Julee with my message。〃
〃Ah； that I will；〃 she said。
She was no sooner gone than they all stole out into the night； and a pitch dark night it was； but Green had a powerful dark lantern to use if necessary。
They waited； Green at the gate of Musgrove Cottage； the other two a little way up the road。
Ten o'clock struck。 Some minutes passed without the expected signal from Green； and Edward and Sampson began to shiver。 For it was very cold and dark； and in the next place they were honest men going to take the law into their own hands and the law sometimes calls that breaking the law。 〃Confound him！〃 muttered Sampson； 〃if he does not soon come I shall run away。 It is bitterly cold。〃
Presently footsteps were heard approaching； but no signal： it proved to be only a fellow in a smock…frock rolling home from the public…house。
Just as his footsteps died away a low hoot like a plaintive owl was heard； and they knew their game was afoot。
Presently； tramp； tramp； came the slow and stately march of him they had hunted down。
He came very slowly； like one lost in meditation： and these amateur policemen's hearts beat louder and louder； as he drew nearer and nearer。
At last in the blackness of the night a shadowy outline was visible； another tramp or two； it was upon them。
Now the cautious Mr。 Green had stipulated that the pocketbook should first be felt for； and； if not there； the matter should go no farther。 So Edward made a stumble and fell against Mr。 Hardie and felt his left breast： the pocket…book was there：〃Yes；〃 he whispered： and Mr。 Hardie； in the act of remonstrating at his clumsiness； was pinned behind； and his arms strapped with wonderful rapidity and dexterity。 Then first he seemed to awake to his hunger； and uttered a stentorian cry of terror； that rang through the night and made two of his three captors tremble。
〃Cut that〃 said Green sternly； 〃or you'll get into trouble。〃
Mr。 Hardie lowered his voice directly： 〃Do not kill me； do not hurt me；〃 he murmured； 〃I am but a poor man now。 Take my little money； it is in my waistcoat pocket； but spare my life。 You see I don't resist。〃
〃Come； stash your gab； my lad；〃 said Green contemptuously； addressing him just as he would any other of the birds he was accustomed to capture。 〃It's not your stiff that is wanted； but Captain Dodd's。〃
〃Captain Dodd's？〃 cried the prisoner with a wonderful assumption of innocence。
〃Ay； the pocket…book；〃 said Green； 〃here； this！ this！〃 He tapped on the pocket…book； and instantly the prisoner uttered a cry of agony； and sprang into the road with an agility no one would have thought possible but Edward and Green soon caught him； and； the Doctor joining； they held him； and Green tore his coat open。
The pocket…book was not there。 He tore open his waistcoat； it was not in the waistcoat： but it was sewed to his very shirt on the outside。
Green wrenched it away； and bidding the other two go behind the prisoner and look over his shoulder； unseen themselves； slipped the shade of his lantern。
Mr。 Hardie had now ceased to struggle and to exclaim； he stood sullen； mute； desperate； while an agitated face peered eagerly over each of his shoulders at the open pocket…book in Green's hands； on which the lantern now poured a narrow but vivid stream of light。
CHAPTER XXXVI
THERE was not a moment to lose； so Green emptied the pocketbook into his hat； and sifted the contents in a turn of the hand； announcing each discovery in a whisper to his excited and peering associates。
〃A lot of receipts。〃
〃Of no use to any one but me；〃 said the prisoner earnestly。
〃Two miniatures； gold rims； pinchbeck backs。〃
〃They are portraits of my children when young： Heaven forgive me； I could not give them up to my creditors： surely； surely； you will not rob me of them。〃
〃Stash your gab；〃 said Mr。 Green roughly。 〃Here's a guinea； Queen Anne's reign。〃
〃It belonged to my great…grandfather： take it； but you will let me redeem it； I will give L。 5 for it poor as I am： you can leave it on my door…step； and I'll leave the L。 5。〃
〃Stow your gab。 Letters； papers covered with figures。 Stay； what is this？ a lot of memoranda。〃
〃They are of the most private and delicate character。 Pray do not expose my family misfortunes。〃 And Mr。 Hardie； who of late had been gathering composure； showed some signs of agitation； the two figures glaring over his shoulder shared it； and his remonstrance only made Green examine the papers keenly： they might contain some clue to the missing money。 It proved a miscellaneous record： the price of Stocks at various days； notes of the official assignee's remarks in going over the books； &c。 At last； however； Green's quick eye fell upon a fainter entry in pencil； figures： 1； 4； yes； actually L。 14；000。 〃All right；〃 he said： and took the paper close to the lantern； and began to spell it out
〃'This day Alfred told me to my face I had L。 14；000 of Captain Dodd's。 We had an angry discussion。 What can he mean？ Drs。 Wycherley and Osmond； this same day； afflicted me with hints that he is deranged； or partly。 I saw no signs of it before。 Wrote to my brother entreating him to give me L。 200 to replace the sum which I really have wronged this respectable and now most afflicted family of。 I had better withdraw'〃 Here Mr。 Hardie interrupted him with sorrowful dignity： 〃These are mere fami
