hard cash-第115章

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：　Edward　to　stay　at　Barkington　and　look　after　the　sale。

Meantime　their　secret　ally；　Mr。　Green；　was　preparing　his　threatened　_coup。_　The　more　he　reflected　the　more　he　suspected　that　he　had　been　outwitted　by　Peggy　Black。　She　had　led　him　on；　and　the　pocket…book　had　been　planted　for　him。　If　so；　why　Peggy　was　a　genius；　and　in　his　own　line；　and　he　would　marry　her；　and　so　kill　two　birds　with　one　stone：　make　a　Detective　of　her　（there　was　a　sad　lack　of　female　detectives）；　and；　once　his　wife；　she　would　split　on　her　master；　and　he　should　defeat　that　old　soldier　at　last；　and　get　a　handsome　slice　of　the　L。　14；000。

He　manoeuvred　thus：　first；　he　went　back　to　London　for　a　day　or　two　to　do　other　jobs；　and　to　let　this　matter　cool；　then　he　returned；　and　wrote　from　a　town　near　Barkington　to　Peggy　Black；　telling　her　he　had　been　sent　away　suddenly　on　a　job；　but　his　heart　had　remained　behind　with　his　Peggy：　would　she　meet　him　at　the　gate　at　nine　that　evening？　he　had　something　very　particular　to　say　to　her。　As　to　the　nature　of　the　business；　the　enclosed　would　give　her　a　hint。　She　might　name　her　own　day；　and　the　sooner　the　better。

The　enclosed　was　a　wedding…ring。

At　nine　this　extraordinary　pair　of　lovers　met　at　the　gate；　but　Peggy　seemed　hardly　at　her　ease；　said　her　master　would　be　coming　out　and　catching　her；　perhaps　they　had　better　walk　up　the　road　a　bit。　〃With　all　my　heart；〃　said　Green；　but　he　could　not　help　a　little　sneer：　〃Your　master？〃　said　he：　〃why　he　is　your　servant；　as　I　am。　What；　is　he　jealous？〃

〃I　don't　know　what　you　mean；　young　man；〃　said　Peggy。

〃I'll　tell　you　when　we　are　married。〃

〃La；　that　is　a　long　time　to　wait　for　my　answer：　why　we　ain't　asked　in　church　yet。〃

〃There's　no　need　of　that；　I　can　afford　a　special　licence。〃

〃Lawk　a　daisy：　why　you　be　a　gentleman；　then。〃

〃No；　but　I　can　keep　my　wife　like　a　lady。〃

You　sounds　very　tempting；〃　murmured　Peggy；　throwing　her　skirt　over　her　headfor　a　drizzle　was　beginningand　walking　slower　and　slower。

Then　he　made　hot　love　to　her；　and　pressed　her　hard　to　name　the　day。

She　coquetted　with　the　question　till　they　came　near　the　mouth　of　a　dark　lane；　called　Lovers'　Walk；　then；　as　he　insisted　on　an　answer；　she　hung　her　head　bashfully；　and　coughed　a　little　cough。　At　which　preconcerted　signal　a　huge　policeman　sprang　out　of　the　lane　and　collared　Mr。　Green。

On　this　Peggy；　who　was　all　Lie　from　head　to　heel；　uttered　a　little　scream　of　dismay　and　surprise。

Mr。　Green　laughed。

〃Well；　you　_are_　a　downy　one；〃　said　he。　〃I'll　marry　you　all　the　more　for　thus。〃

The　detective　put　his　hands　suddenly　inside　the　policeman's；　caught　him　by　the　bosom　with　his　right　hand　by　way　of　fulcrum；　and　with　his　left　by　the　chin；　which　he　forced　violently　back；　and　gave　him　a　slight　Cornish　trip　at　the　same　moment；　down　went　the　policeman　on　the　back　of　his　head　a　fearful　crack。　Green　then　caught　the　astonished　Peggy　round　the　neck；　kissed　her　lips　violently；　and　fled　like　the　wind；　removed　all　traces　of　his　personal　identity；　and　up　to　London　by　the　train　in　the　character　of　a　young　swell；　with　a　self…fitting　eyeglass　and　a　long　moustache　the　colour　of　his　tender　mistress's　eyebrow：　tow。

From　town　he　wrote　to　her；　made　her　a　formal　offer　of　marriage；　and　gave　her　an　address　to　write　to　〃should　she　at　any　time　think　more　kindly　of　him　and　of　his　sincere　affection。〃

I　suppose　he　specified　sincere　because　it　was　no　longer　sincere：　he　hurled　the　offer　into　Musgrove　Cottage　by　way　of　an　apple　of　discordat　least　so　I　infer　from　the　memorandum；　with　which　he　retired　at　present　from　the　cash　hunt。

〃Mr。　Hardie　has　the　stiff；　I　think：　but；　if　so；　it　is　planted　somewheredoesn't　carry　it　about　him；　my　Peggy　is　his　mistress：　nothing　to　be　done　till　they　split。〃


Victorious　so　far；　Mr。　Hardie　had　still　one　pressing　anxiety：　Dr。　Sampson's　placard：　this　had　been　renewed；　and　stared　him　everywhere　in　the　face。　Every　copy　of　it　he　encountered　made　him　shiver。　If　he　had　been　a　man　of　impulse；　he　would　have　torn　it　down　wherever　he　saw　it；　but　he　knew　that　would　not　do。　However；　learning　from　Jane；　who　had　it　from　old　Betty；　who　had　it　from　Sarah；　that　Mrs。　and　Miss　Dodd　would　leave　for　London　the　day　before　the　sale；　and　Edward　the　day　after　it；　he　thought　he　might　venture　in　the　busy　intermediate　time　to　take　some　liberties　with　it。　This　he　did　with　excellent　tact　and　judgment。　Peggy　and　a　billsticker　were　seen　in　conference；　and；　soon　after；　the　huge　bills　of　a　travelling　circus　were　pasted　right　over　both　the　rival　advertisements　in　which　the　name　of　Hardie　figured。　The　consequence　was；　Edward　raised　no　objection：　he　was　full　of　the　sale　for　one　thing；　but　I　suspect　he　was　content　to　see　his　own　false　move　pasted　over　on　such　easy　terms。


One　morning　Peggy　brought　in　the　letters；　and　Jane　saw　one　in　Alfred's　handwriting。　She　snatched　it　up；　and　cried　〃Papa；　from　Alfred！〃　And　she　left　off　making　the　tea；　while　her　father　opened　it　with　comparative　composure。

This　coolness；　however；　did　not　outlast　the　perusal：　〃The　young　ruffian！〃　said　he；　〃would　you　believe　it　Jenny；　he　accuses　me　of　being　the　cause　of　his　last　business。〃

〃Let　me　see；　papa。〃

He　held　her　out　the　letter；　but　hesitated　and　drew　it　back。　〃My　dear；　it　would　give　you　pain　to　see　your　poor　father　treated　so。　Here's　a　specimen：　'What　could　they　expect　but　that　the　son　of　a　sharper　would　prove　a　traitor？　You　stole　her　money；　I　her　affections；　of　which　I　am　unworthy。'　Now　what　do　you　think　of　that？〃

〃Unhappy　Alfred！〃　said　Jane。　〃No；　papa；　I　would　not　read　it；　if　you　are　insulted　in　it。　But　where　is　he？〃

〃The　letter　is　dated　Paris。　See！　〃　And　he　showed　her　the　date。　〃But　he　says　here　he　is　coming　back　to　London　directly；　and　he　orders　me　in　the　most　peremptory　way　to　he　ready　with　my　accounts；　and　pay　him　over　his　fortune。　Well；　he　is　alive；　at　all　events：　really　my　good；　kind；　interfering；　pragmatical　friend　Sampson；　with　his　placards；　made　me　feel　uneasy；　more　uneasy　than　I　would　own　to　you；　Jenny。〃

〃Unhappy　Alfred！〃　cried　Jane；　with　the　tears　in　her　eyes；　〃and　poor　papa！〃

〃Oh；　never　mind　me；〃　said　Mr。　Hardie；　〃now　that　I　know　no　harm　has　come　to　him；　I　really　don't　care　a　straw：　I　have　got　one　child　that　loves　me；　and　that　I　love。〃

〃Ah　yes；　dear；　dear　papa；　and　that　will　always　love　you；　and　never；　never　disobey　you　in　small　things　or　great。〃　She　rose　from　the　table　and　sealed　this　with　a　pious　kiss；　and；　when　she　sat　down　with　a　pink　flush　on　her　delicate　cheek；　his　hard　eye　melted　and　dwelt　on　her　with　beaming　tenderness。　His　heart　yearned　over　her；　and　a　pang　went　through　it：　to　think　that　he　must　deceive　even　her；　the　one　sweet　soul　that　loved　him！

It　was　a　passing　remorse：　the　successful　plotter　soon　predominated；　and　it　was　with　unmixed　satisfaction　he　saw　her　put　on　her　bonnet　directly　after　breakfast　and　hurry　off　to　Albion　Villa　to　play　the　part　of　his　unconscious　sieve。

He　himself　strolled　in　the　opposite　direction；　not　to　seem　to　be　watching　her。

He　was　in　good　spirits：　felt　like　a　general；　who；　after　repulsing　many　desperate　attacks　successfully；　orders　an　advance；　and　sees　the　tide　of　battle　roll　away　from　his　bayonets。　His　very　body　seemed　elastic；　indomitable；　he　walked　lustily　out　into　the　country；　sniffed　the　perfumed　hedges；　and　relished　life。　To　be　sure　he　could　not　walk　away　from　all　traces　of　his　misdeeds；　he　fell　in　with　objects　that　to　an　ordinary　sinner　might　have　spoiled　the　walk；　and　even　marred　the　spring…time。　He　found　his　creditor　Maxley　with　grizzly　beard　and　bloodshot　eyes；　belabouring　a　milestone；　and　two　small　boys　quizzing　him；　and　pelting　him　with　mud：　and　soon　after　he　met　his　creditor；　old　Dr。　Phillips；　in　a　cart；　coming　back　to　Barkington　to　end　his　days　there；　at　the　almshouse。　But　to　our　triumphant　Bankrupt　and　Machiavel　these　things　were　literally　nothing：　he　paced　complacently　on；　and　cared　no　more　for　either　of　those　his　wrecks　than　the　smiling　sea　itself　seems　to　care　for　the　dead　ships　and　men　it　washed　ashore　a　week　ago。

He　came　home　before　luncheon　for　his　gossip　with　Jane；　but　she　had　not　returned。　All　the　better；　her　budget　would　be　the　larger。

To　while　the　time　he　got　his　file　of　the　_Times；_　and　amused　himself　noting　down　the　fluctuations　in　Peruvian