Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1867-08-01


was sly villain an crafty knave, and
then he tried 10 soothe Pennies suspicious;
badc her not add to the burthen Of Mr.. Wyn-
yards troubles by forcing her own on him,
and before she did anything advised her to
talk to her Uncle Lister, and hear what he
thought.
g II will be of no use my Uncle Lister
always declines to discuss my affairs, and
appears to feela lively delight in anticipating
a grand revelation of muddle and fraud when
they come to be investigated at my majority.
Let us hope things won't be quite so bad
as that, Miss Pennie," replied the old man.
You may be check on Hargrove your
self If you don't mind speaking out. can
give you list descriptive of the securities
in which your fortune is invested. Hargrove
said it should be made out clear enough for
a lady's comprehension, by way of taunting
me, I'm ashamed to say I never tested it by
a comparison with your deeds and docu-
ments that are in his possession, but, as he
expected should, no doubt it is correct
Give me my desk, my dear; it is there"
The doctor unlocked this receptacle, and
handed the list to Pennie who accepted it
in the full intention of using it, as he advised
her. " Read 1t carefully over at home, and
then go to him in my name, and require
him to show you that all the parchments
and papers mentioned in it are safe. Do not
be content with an assurance and do not be
put off with an excuse. Insist on seeing
them with your own eyes, and handling
them with your own hands,"
81 will" said Pennic. Sim not in the
| least afraid of him.
Two OF three days after, Pennie was as
good as her word. Taking Francis Wynyard
with her, she presented, herself at the law
yer's Office, and mentioned the errand on
which she was come. Mr.. Hargrove pro-
fessed to be very much engaged, and wished
| her to come again in the afternoon but she
| declined, and on that he said his clerk could
| attend to her business as well as himself
He then directed that respectable function
ary to carry into his private Office from the
strong-room the Croft-ward box and to show
to the young lady what she desired to see.
His manner was a mixture of insolence and
uncasiness; but Pennie, though her sensa-
| tions were uncomfortable, was not to be
turned from her purpose by sneer.
Francis W,nyard had an obvious, boyish
shame of the mission they were come upon.
He did not like Mr.. Hargrove, but his dis
| trust fell far short of Pennies. 1t was an
immense relief to him when she said her
task was accomplished, and she was ready
to go. AS she passed through the outer of
flee where Mr.. Hargrove sat, he asked her
if she was perfectly satisfied with the result
of her researches.
eff the deeds l have seen are the originals,
they tally with the list" said she.
'What else could they be but the originals,
Miss Penelope, may ask?"
ENTHUSIASTICALLY forged"
| Mr.. Hargrove dropped his pen, half stoop-
| ed TO pick it up, and raised himself without
achieving his intention, his red face much
the redder for the momentary effort. $50
they might-that did not occur to me, re-
| piled he, with peculiar smile. "You young
ladies of the present day are so up to the
tricks of this wicked world"
| Pennie declined to be put out of counte-
nance s.1r.-.~ ras." said sbn. .nat~I,-
case OF that kind in the Times, and several
articles upon it, which made it plain to even
my capacity. Whether those deeds are or
are not the originals am unable to judge,
but hope they are, for everybody's sake.
| l make it no secret, Mr.. Hargrove, that
distrust, ,-distrust your honesty, distrust
your truth, distrust you in every way. l
shall rejoice exceedingly when it is in my
power to sever your connection with my
affairs"
Mr.. Hargrove bowed with solemn defer
ence, and Pennie departed, not unthankful
that courage had been vouchsafed her to
speak her mind without faltering Nature,
for once, had come out in her stronger than
training, and when she was gone, the
lawyer, laughing to himself at the bluntness
which thought to over-match his craft, said
how like she was to her old Grandfather
Lister, the shrcwdest, most downright of the
last generation of Eskdale yeomen.
Mrs. Wynyard was displeased with Pen
| MES proceedings; her mother proiesSed
herself both ashamed and vcxed, and Mr..
Hargrove's communication to his luckless
employer brought her very severe letter
from Deppe, in which her conduct was
stigmatized as altogether wrong, unladylike,
and foolish.
81 don't care" said Pen9ie, though she
was, in fact, little stung. II think you
must all be in a conspiracy to make roguery
easy!"
Her mother, to whom she addressed this
remark, assured her in reply that she was
wilful, silly, head-strong lass, so bigoted to
Mr. Tindal that she was ready to believe
everybody her enemy who came between
him and her, though they were in reality
her best friends. Pennie contented herself
with devoutly wishing two more years were
gone; and receiving just at the moment
letter from Mrs. Forester with an invita-
tion to Brackenfield Lodge, she accepted
: it without second thought, and escaped
} for little while the irksome presence of her
, many dsapprovers.
[To BE CONTINUED.
.