Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1867-06-27
MR.. VINEYARDS WARD,
By UoLME LEE.
AUTHOR OF SYLVAN Hollis DAUGHTER.
CHAPTER XII.


the affairs Of Penelope Croft, he was rathe
puzzled where to begin. While the renew
ed investigation into the Rood tragedy wa
In progress he remained passive but whei
1t was over he wrote to his co trustee, Mr.
Wynyard, and gave his version of the attach
ment that had arisen between Mr.. Tindal
and their ward ending with notice that
believing Mr.. Tindal cruelly-injured man
as free of the crime imputed to him as eithe
Of themselves, he had not hesitated t,
sanction 1t. His letter reached Mr.. Wyn
yard by the same post as second from Mr.
Hargrove on the same topic; and the mex
day arrived two more-one from Mr.,
Tindal, and the other from Pennie herself
The poor expatriated gentlemen wal
bothered exceedingly by this awkward love
story Of his wards. He would have liket
to write back, "Give her her head let hel
marry the first man that asks her, only an
quit of her, and of Hargroves perpetual
suggestions to bolster up my own miserable
fortunes by helping myself to hers" Te
his agent he did write almost as buntly as
this; but when he had taken thought dur.
ing his walk of an hour or two country.
wards from Dieppe, he penned consider
ate letter to Pennie, recommending patti
ence, and glimpse of the world beyond
Eskdale before she set seal to her life thai
must be stamped 1t to the close; a manly
one to Mr. Tindal, declining to recognize any
bond that he might have made with his
ward until she had had time and opportunity
given her to understand her own and hif
position better than she could possibly do
now: and short letter to DIR, Grey, convey.
ing in rather more decorous phrase Mr..
Hargroves opinion, that she was pretty
trustee for an heiress." n
$50 I am," confessed the doctor, with
shame and confusion Of face; ''but It is
never too late to mend"
He went over to the lawyers office one
unoccupied morning, when Buckhurst had
taken his country round, intend on acquir1
ing some information respecting Pennies
monetary business. Hargrove received him
with cynical laugh. "You have some
le0-way to make up, Grey, can tell you, :
said he, glacing at one of row jappaned
boxes shelved in his private room, on which
the words "Croft, ward" were painted in
white letters.
Dr.. Grey was not rich man, nor know
ing man. he had never been In the way of
handling much money, and he was almost
ignorant of the details of business; but his
newspaper had made him acquainted with
the pet rogueries of trustees, agents, bank
ers, and SO forth, and he asked to see for
himself that the securities for Pennies pro-
perty were all safe. He did not care CHIP
for affronting Mr.. Hargrove he was in
deed rather glad than otherwise to show
that he did suspect his honesty, and that he
had an inkling of what knavish lawyers
might do with their clients papers if they
pleased. Mr.. Hargrovc, with the liveliest
good-humour, reached down the box, un-
locked 1t, and tumbled out mass of parch-
ments, of every shade of antiqiuty--some
single, some tied in thick bundles, and
other documents, besides.
"What will you start with2" asked he,
airily. "Do you propose to read 'em all
through These are the deeds relating to
Haggerston Mills; and these again belong to
the little farm at Appley. That's the last
mortgage raised on Methley Towers-and
that's another. These are railway deben-
lures and preference shares; and these bits
ofspotted paper represented large sum in
the sweet simplicity as somebody calls it,
Of the Three per Cents" n
81 tell you what, Hargrove, don't un-
derstand you just present-you have a game,
but I don't quite see it," interposed the
doctor. 'Perhaps the things are all there. y
"Confound you and your fancies, Grey
perhaps you have not got bee in your bon.
net this morning T. roared the lawyer all Of
q sudden, bursting out in his big bullying
tone. The clerk opened the door of the
outer room, peeped in and shut it again.
DR.. Greys nerves were too tough to be
shaken by voice ever so loud. "Come,
come, Hargrove, bullying won't do with
me" he said, with contemptuous GOODNESS
As long as ml' "ynyard was on the spo
ne was checked enough. had no fear bu
tnat all would go right but now that ht
mas gone out OF the way under such awk
ward circumstances am not so sure
~ trouble you 10 send me detailed list O
al tnese things-i should IKE to be on the
saie side when Miss Croft calls on us to
render an account OF our trusteeship. You
understand, Hargrove y
= understand. You shall have the lis'
written out plain, as II 1t was for a lady
anu you can have the box down once week
ana compare 1t with contents, you like
Inc DOCTOR pocketed the sneer, and went
out' Inc suggestion was not bad-once I
week wouia 100 much OF good thing, bu
once ayear wouia DC practical and sensible
anu no great trouble either and he made I
resoiution that ne would not neglect 1t.