Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1909-07-09
CHAPTER XVII.

lips quivered. She laced her hands close
ly together; but all she said was the
monosyllable "Gren." Small mercy was
Mrs. Upcroft likely to meet with at his
hands; her insoence had already made
Roses teeth crate.
Unfortunate, Mrs Upcroft," 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 Denison-two witnesses, bear in
mind-that you were privy to tss remov-
al or abstraction of a deed of value,
even if you did not actually remove such
deed with your own hands. The law, of
which you are aware | am an expounder,
calls 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 1t 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 encountering 1t in any
shape. The barrister's accusation, too
sounded very plausible to unpracticed
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 doi"
"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! 1 don't know, right
iy. l think, Miss, they were all put up
In an old trunk in the garret 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-
tion 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 | 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? III 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 a woman now
You'll neither frighten 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 / know; and, by heavens, I'll take
pretty good care you get there! They
have stood your insolenee 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 a tolerable charge
of peculation to boot"
The housekeeper had rallied little
but this last speech of Roses completely
crushed her. She knew that she hac
carried on a systematic scale of robbery
for years. She Topped down on heI
knees, and impored that mercy might be
shown her, backing her entreaties with
many sobs and tears.
Here they all are, Gren," said Maude
entering the room. 81 tumbled them into
this towel; | couldn't carry them in my
hands. Good gracious, Mrs. Upcroft, dc
get up What is the matter"
"Stay where you are, and apologize tc
Miss Denson for your impertnence, be
fore you rise,' thundered Grenville
Quick, woman, and I'll be lenient about
the second charge l have against you"
"Oh, please forgive me, Miss Maude
/ didn't mean, it-indeed didn't!' whim
pered the crestfallen housekeeper.
"There, that'l do," said Rose, con
temptuously, while Maude stood in open
eyed wonderment at the complete subju
CATION of her ancient foe. Eureka !" ht
shouted, as, after running his eye ovel
some half dozen mouldy papers, more
musty parchment than usual came beneath
his ken. "This will do. You can go
Mrs. Upcroft, without police escort fol
the present; but you had better bear In
mind, in future, that If you are insolen
to Miss Denison you will settle with me
and that next time l promise you 1t shal
be a settlement in full"
With low curtsy the discomfortet
In her breast, but mixed with a strong
proportion of fear. Her malevolenc'
would know no bounds II she shoult
ever see her opportunity but for the pres
ent Grenville Rose had established {
wholesome terrorism.
Let her go, my darling" said Gren
vile, as he stole his arm round Maude'i
waist. This Is the deed wanted.