hard cash-第97章

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The　next　day　Peggy　Black　called；　and　asked　to　see　master。　Old　Betty；　after　the　first　surprise；　looked　at　her　from　head　to　foot；　and　foot　to　head；　as　if　measuring　her　for　a　suit　of　disdain；　and　told　her　she　might　carry　her　own　message；　then　flounced　into　the　kitchen；　and　left　her　to　shut　the　street　door；　which　she　did。　She　went　and　dropped　her　curtsey　at　the　parlour　door；　and　in　a　miminy　piminy　voice　said　she　was　come　to　make　her　submission；　and　would　he　forgive　her；　and　give　her　another　trial？　Her　penitence；　after　one　or　two　convulsive　efforts；　ended　in　a　very　fair　flow　of　tears。

Mr。　Hardie　shrugged　his　shoulders；　and　asked　Jane　if　the　girl　had　ever　been　saucy　to　her。

〃Oh　no；　papa：　indeed　I　have　no　fault　to　find　with　poor　Peggy。〃

〃Well；　then；　go　to　your　work；　and　try　and　not　offend　Betty；　remember　she　is　older　than　you。〃

Peggy　went　for　her　box　and　bandbox；　and　reinstated　herself　quietly；　and　all　old　Betty's　endeavours　to　irritate　her　only　elicited　a　calm　cunning　smile；　with　a　depression　of　her　downy　eyelashes。

　　　　　_Albion　Villa。_

Next　morning　Edward　Dodd　was　woke　out　of　a　sound　sleep　at　about　four　o'clock；　by　a　hand　upon　his　shoulder：　he　looked　up；　and　rubbed　his　eyes；　it　was　Julia　standing　by　his　bedside；　dressed；　and　in　her　bonnet。　〃Edward；〃　she　said　in　a　hurried　whisper；　〃there　is　foul　play：　I　cannot　sleep；　I　cannot　be　idle。　He　has　been　decoyed　away；　and　perhaps　murdered。　Oh；　pray　get　up　and　go　to　the　police　office　or　somewhere　with　me。〃

〃Very　well；　but　wait　till　morning。〃

〃No；　now；　nownownow。　I　shall　never　go　out　of　doors　in　the　daytime　again。　Wait？　I'm　going　crazy　with　wait；　wait；　wait；　wait；　waiting。〃

Her　hand　was　like　fire　on　him；　and　her　eyes　supernaturally　bright。

〃There；〃　said　Edward　with　a　groan；　〃go　downstairs；　and　I　will　be　with　you　directly。〃

He　came　down：　they　went　out　together：　her　little　burning　hand　pinched　his　tight；　and　her　swift　foot　seemed　scarcely　to　touch　the　ground；　she　kept　him　at　his　full　stride　till　they　got　to　the　central　police　station。　There；　at　the　very　thought　of　facing　men；　the　fiery　innocent　suddenly　shrank　together；　and　covered　her　blushing　face　with　her　hot　hands。　She　sent　him　in　alone。　He　found　an　intelligent　superintendent；　who　entered　into　the　case　with　all　the　coolness　of　an　old　official　hand。

Edward　came　out　to　his　sister；　and　as　he　hurried　her　home；　told　her　what　had　passed：　〃The　superintendent　asked　to　see　the　letter；　I　told　him　he　had　taken　it　with　him：　that　was　a　pity；　he　said。　Then　he　made　me　describe　Alfred　to　a　nicety：　and　the　description　will　go　up　to　London　this　morning；　and　all　over　Barkington；　and　the　neighbourhood；　and　the　county。〃

She　stopped　to　kiss　him；　then　went　on　again　with　her　head　down；　and　neither　spoke　till　they　were　nearly　home：　then　Edward　told　her　〃the　superintendent　felt　quite　sure　that　the　villain　was　not　dead；　nor　in　danger　of　it。〃

〃Oh；　bless　him！　bless　him！　for　saying　so。〃

〃And　that　he　will　turn　up　in　London　before　very　long；　not　in　this　neighbourhood。　He　says　he　must　have　known　the　writer　of　the　letter；　and　his　taking　his　luggage　with　him　shows　he　has　gone　off　deliberately。　My　poor　little　Ju；　now　do　try　and　look　at　it　as　he　does；　and　everybody　else　does；　try　and　see　it　as　you　would　if　you　were　a　bystander。〃

She　laid　her　soft　hand　on　his　shoulder　as　if　to　support　herself　floating　in　her　sea　of　doubt：　〃I　do　see　I　am　a　poor　credulous　girl；　but　how　can　my　Alfred　be　false　to　me？　Am　I　to　doubt　the　Bible？　Am　I　to　doubt　the　sun？　Is　nothing　true　in　heaven　or　earth？　Oh；　if　I　could　only　have　died　as　I　was　dressing　for　churchdied　while　he　seemed　true！　He　_is_　true；　the　wicked　creature　has　cast　some　spell　on　him：　he　has　gone　in　a　moment　of　delirium；　he　will　regret　what　he　has　done；　perhaps　regrets　it　now。　I　am　ungrateful　to　you；　Edward；　and　to　the　good　policeman；　for　saying　he　is　not　dead。　What　more　do　I　require？　He　is　dead　to　me。　Edward；　let　us　leave　this　place。　We　_were_　going：　let　us　go　to…day；　this　very　day；　oh；　take　me；　and　hide　me　where　no　one　that　knows　me　can　ever　see　me　again。〃　A　flood　of　tears　came　to　her　relief：　and　she　went　along　sobbing　and　kissing　her　brother's　hand　every　now　and　then。

But；　as　they　drew　near　the　gate　of　Albion　Villa；　twilight　began　to　usher　in　the　dawn。　Julia　shuddered　at　even　that　faint　light；　and　fled　like　a　guilty　thing；　and　hid　herself　sobbing　in　her　own　bedroom。


Mr。　Richard　Hardie　slept　better　now　than　he　had　done　for　some　time　past；　and　therefore　woke　more　refreshed　and　in　better　spirits。　He　knew　an　honest　family　was　miserable　a　few　doors　off；　but　he　did　not　care。　He　got　up　and　shaved　with　a　mind　at　ease。　One　morning；　when　he　had　removed　the　lather　from　one　half　his　face；　he　happened　to　look　out　of　window；　and　saw　on　the　wall　oppositea　placard：　a　large　placard　to　this　effect：

　　　　　〃ONE　HUNDRED　GUINEAS　REWARD！

Whereas；　on　the　11th　instant　Mr。　Alfred　Hardie　disappeared　mysteriously　from　his　lodgings　in　15　Mill　Street；　under　circumstances　suggesting　a　suspicion　of　foul　play；　know　all　men　that　the　above　reward　will　be　paid　to　any　person　or　persons　who　shall　first　inform　the　undersigned　where　the　said　Alfred　Hardie　is　to　be　found；　and　what　person　or　persons；　if　any；　have　been　concerned　in　his　disappearance。

ALEXANDER　SAMPSON；　39　Pope　Street；　Napoleon　Square　London。〃



CHAPTER　XXXI

THE　note　Alfred　Hardie　received；　on　the　10th　of　April；　was　from　Peggy　Black。　The　letters　were　well　formed；　for　she　had　been　educated　at　the　national　school：　but　the　style　was　not　upon　a　par。


〃MR。　ALFRED；　SIR；Margaret　Black　sends　her　respects；　and　if　you　want　to　know　the　truth　about　the　money；　I　can　tell　you　all；　and　where　it　is　at　this　present　time。　Sir；　I　am　now　in　situation　at　Silverton　Grove　House；　about　a　furlong　from　the　station；　and　if　you　will　be　so　good　to　call　there　and　ask　for　Margaret；　I　will　tell　you　where　it　is；　which　I　mean　the　L。　14；000；　for　it　is　a　sin　the　young　lady　should　be　beguiled　of　her　own。　Only　you　must　please　come　this　evening；　or　else　to…morrow　before　ten　o'clock；　by　reason　my　mistress　and　me　we　are　going　up　to　London　that　day　early；　and　she　talk　of　taking　me　abroad　along　with　her。I　remain；　Sir；　yours　respectfully　to　command；

MARGARET　BLACK。

〃If　you　please；　sir；　not　to　show　this　letter　on　no　account。〃


Alfred　read　this　twice　over；　and　felt　a　contemptuous　repugnance　towards　the　writer；　a　cashiered　servant；　who　offered　to　tell　the　truth　out　of　spite；　having　easily　resisted　every　worthy　motive。　Indeed；　I　think　he　would　have　perhaps　dismissed　the　subject　into　the　fire；　but　for　a　strange　circumstance　that　had　occurred　to　him　this　very　afternoon；　but　I　had　no　opportunity　to　relate　it　till　now。　Well；　just　as　he　was　going　to　dress　for　dinner；　he　received　a　visit　from　Dr。　Wycherley；　a　gentleman　he　scarcely　knew　by　name。　Dr。　Wycherley　inquired　after　his　kephalalgia：　Alfred　stared　and　told　him　it　was　much　the　same；　troubled　him　occasionally。

〃And　your　insomnia。〃

〃I　don't　know　the　word：　have　you　any　authority　for　it？〃

Dr。　Wycherley　smiled　with　a　sort　of　benevolent　superiority　that　galled　his　patient；　and　proceeded　to　inquire　after　his　nightly　visions　and　voices。　But　at　this　Alfred　looked　grave　as　well　as　surprised　and　vexed。　He　was　on　his　guard　now；　and　asked　himself　seriously　what　was　the　meaning　of　all　this；　and　could　his　father　have　been　so　mad　as　to　talk　over　his　own　shame　with　this　stranger：　he　made　no　reply　whatever。

Dr。　Wycherley's　curiosity　was　not　of　a　very　ardent　kind：　for　he　was　one　of　those　who　first　form　an　opinion；　and　then　collect　the　materials　of　one：　and　a　very　little　fact　goes　a　long　way　with　such　minds。　So；　when　he　got　no　answer　about　the　nocturnal　visions　and　voices；　he　glided　calmly　on　to　another　matter。　〃By…the…bye；　that　L。　14；000！〃

Alfred　started；　and　then　eyed　him　keenly：　〃What　L。　14；000？〃

〃The　fabulous　sum　you　labour　under　the　impression　of　your　father　having　been　guilty　of　clandestinely　appropriating。〃

This　was　too　much　for　Alfred's　patience。　〃I　don't　know　who　you　are；　sir；〃　said　he；　〃I　never　exchanged　but　three　words　in　my　life　with　you；　and　do　you　suppose　I　will　talk　to　a　stranger　on　family　matters　of　so　delicate　a　kind　as　this？　I　begin　to　think　you　have　intruded　yourself　on　me　simply　to　gratify　an　impertinent　curiosi