The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1909-05-21
CHAPTER XVII.

Mande Denison's eyes flashed. and heI
I'm. ouiyered. She laced her hands close
~ together: but all she said was the
ronosyllable ..Gren." Small mercy was
Mrs, Upcroft likely to meet with st MS
hands: her insolence had already MADE
Roses teeth CRATE.
unfortunate, Mrs. Upcroft." he OBJ
served, with an evil smile; but am
q fraid the butcher will nave to wait for
some time before he next enjoys the pleas
nre of your society. You see, you have
unluckily admitted, before myself and
Miss Denison-two witnesses, bear IN
mind-that you were privy to the remov-
al or abstraction Of q deed Of value.
even if you did not actually remove such
deed with your own hands. The law, OF
which you are aware l am an %expounder,
calls a casualty of this kind by the name
Of felony. and mpe it with varied
terms of transportation. 1t is unpleas-
ant, Mrs. Upcroft but l 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
am 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 en%counterlng II in any
tshape. The barrister's accusation, too.
sounded very plausible to Impractical
ears.
"Oh! Mr.. Grenville, after knowing me
all his time. whoever'd ave thought
you'd 90 against nae in this way? On.
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! l don't know, right
ly. l 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
ly..
Miss Denison tripped out Of the room,
leaving Grenville 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 a poor servants character is not
to be taken away for nothing? I'll have
the law Of o u l will"
You're right, Mrs. Upcroft; o will,
and very much to your detriment, too, if
the paper l want is not forthcoming.
You're not talking to a woman now.
You'll neither brighten me, nor get the
slightest mercy at my hands. You're
in as fair a way of spending the next
six or seven years at Portland as any
body l 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 a few things
with you, I'll ring, and one of the maids
can put up your box. I'll run through
your account after you are gone, and fam
" L Chu SuDSldutIdtc q tOicHdOIc CudI6c
of peculation to boot"
The housekeeper had rallied a 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; l 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 im~pertinence. be-
fore you RISE" %thundered Granville.
"Quick, woman, and I'll be lenient about
the second charge l have against you"
"Oh, please forgive me, Miss Maude !
l didn't mean it-indeed l didn't" whim-
pered the crestfallen housekeeper.
"There, thatIl do" said Rose, con-
t~emptuously, while Maude stood in OPEN
eyed wonderment at the complete subiu-
CATION of her ancient foe. Eureka !" he
shouted, as. after running his eye over
some half a dozen mouldy papers, a more
musty parchment than usual came beneath
his ken. This will do. You an 70.
Mrs. Upcroft, without a police escort for
the present but you had better bear In
mind, in future, that If you are insolent
to Miss Denison you will settle with me,
and that next time l promise you it shall
be a 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 maleyolence
would know no bounds il she should
ever see her opportunity but for the pres
ent Granville 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 he deed l wanted. |
must leave for town directly after break
fast. Armed with this. l think l can
safely say Pearman shall trouble you no
more. What guerdon is your chs mpion
to have when he has rescued you from
he dragon!"
Nothing, I'm afraid"
you migrate. What do you mean? p
"What | said. l fear, Gren." replied