The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1909-03-25
CHAPTER XVII.

Unfortunate. Mrs. Cpcroft, he OBJ
served. with an evil smile; "but | am
afraid the butcher will have TO wait for
some time before he next enjoys the pleas
ure of your society. You see. you have
unluckily admitted. before myself and
Miss DeHison-two witnesses, bear IN
mind-that you We're privy TO the remov-
al or abstraction of deed of value,
even = you did not actually remove such
deed with your own hands. The law. of
which you are aware | am an expounder,
calls a casualty of this kind by the name
Of felony. and recompenses it with varied
terms of transportation. 1t is unpleas-
ant. Mrs. Upcroft: but fear, unless you
can recollect where those particular pa
pers are, there is nothing for it but TO
wait here patiently until the police escort
1 an about to summon has arrived for
you"
The sulky insolence was taken well out
Of the unhappy housekeeper before Roses
speech was finished. Like most people of
that class. she had but very vague ideas
Of the power of the law, and an almost
morbid horror of encountering IL in any
shape. The barristers accusation. too.
sounded very plausible to Impractical
ears.
'Oh, Mr. Grenville. after knowing me
all this time. whoever'd have thought
you'd go against me in this way? Oh,
dear oh, dear what shall l do:"
do what you ought to have done. at
once. Tell Miss Maude this instant
where those papers are. None of your
nonsense about not remembering. You
know perfectly we'll what you've done
with them. I'll give you two minutes to
collect your ideas, and if you can't do it
by the end of that time, I'll lock you in
here and send for the police"
''Oh, please don't! | don't know, right
Iy. / think. Miss, they were all put up
in an old trunk in the garnet overhead"
sobbed the now thoroughly cowed house
keeper.
go and see, Maude," said Rose, quiet
Miss Dcnison tripped out Of the room,
leaving Grenvile to the quiet contempla-
ton of his victim.
"Oh. my oh, my sobbed the house
keeper. ito think of those old publishing
things being of any consequence. And
what right have you, sir. to say l took
them? To think of my being accused OF
taking things, after all these years. But
| suppose poor servants character is not
to be taken away for nothing? Ill have
the law of you, / Will"
You're right, Mrs. Upcroft; you will,
and very much to your detriment, too, if
the paper / want is not forthcoming.
You're not talking to woman now.
You'll neither brighten me, ncr get the
slightest mercy at my hands. You're
in rs fair a way of spending the next
ov-tl .r,I
body / know; and, by heavens, I'll take
pretty good care you get there. They
have stood your insolence long enough
here. If you want TO take few things
with you. I'll ring, and one of the maids
can put up your box. I'll run through
your accounts after you are gone, and fan
cy l can substantiate tolerable charge
Of peculation TO boot"
The housekeeper had rallied little,
but this last speech of Roses completely
crushed her. She knew that she had
carried on a systematic scale of robbery
for years. She topped down on her
knees, and implored that mercy might be
shown her, backing her entreaties with
many sobs and tears.
Here they all are, Gren,' said Maude
entering the room. II .tumbled them into
this towel: 1 couldn't carry them in my
hands Good gracious, Mrs. Upcroft, do
get up. What is the matter:'
Stay where you are, and apologize TO
Miss Denison for your impertinence, be-
fore you RISE Numbered Granville.
Quick, woman. and I'll be lenient about
the second charge have against you"
''Oh. please forgive me, Miss Maude !,
didn't mean it-indeed didn't !" whim-
pered the crestfallen housekeeper.
There, thatll do" said Rose, con-
temptuously, while Maude stood in OPEN
eyed wonderment at the complete subju-
CATION of her ancient foe. Eureka - he
shouted. as, after running his eye over
some half a dozen mouldy papers, a more
nusty parchment than usual came beneath
his ken This will do. You can go,
Mrs. Upcroft, without a police escort for
the present but you had better bear in
mind. in future. that il you are insolent
TO Miss Denison you will settle with me,
and that next time J promise you it shall
be settlement in full"
With a low curtsy the discomforted
housekeeper left the room-anger raging
in her breast, but mixed with a strong
proportion of fear. Her malevolence
would know no bounds il. she should
ever see her opportunity but for the pres
ent Grenville Rose had established a
wholesome terrorism
Let her go, my darling" said Gren-
Vile. as he stole his arm round Maude's
waist. This is the deed / wanted.
must leave for town directly after break
fast Armed with this. l think / can
"a feIy say Pearman shall trouble you no
II. :
to have when he has rescued you from
the dragon?'
Nothing. I'm afraid"
You migrate. What do you mean?"
What | said | fear, Gren," replied
the girl. she lifted her smiling face
to his. that | have given my champion
all have to give already. and if that
done satisfy him. can only"
Miss Denison's further views on the
subject were never promulgated. for rea-
sons that are palpably obvious; nor will
an ordinary observer be much astonished
to hear that the cousins put in dis
gracefully late appearance at the break
fast table-a fact that may be quoted in
support of my great theory. that early
rising is dependent ON fictitious excite
ment, and not in accordance with natural
laws.
Breakfast over Granville had a bur
red interview with the squire, the result
OF which was great jubiation on Harold
Denison's part, and a remark that he had
always had an immense opinion of Gren-
yille's talents. and that he thought pres
ent circumstances already justified his
opinion.
"t,ood-bv uncle" said Rose as be
stood ON the steps of the carriage that
was to convey him to the station. Il
think I'm right. but you mustn't blame
me if I've made a mistake. I'll telegraph
as soon as / have had counsePs opinion
on my friend here" and he tapped his
travelling bag. in which reposed the anx-
lousy sought for deed.
Heaven bless you, boy. / feel you're