Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1909-02-18

CHAPTER NUI

hands her InSOlence had already mace
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
unluckly admitted. before myself and
Miss Denison-two witnesses. bear in
mind-that you we're privy to the 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 Df transportation. 1t is unpleas-
ant. Mrs. TpcrOft but | fear. unless you
can recolect where those particular pa
pcrs are. there is nothing for it but 70
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 it in any
shape The barrister's accusation, too.
sounded very plausible to Impractical
ears.
ooh Mr.. Grenvile after knowing me
all this time, whoever'd have thought
you'd 90 against me in this way? Oh,
dear oh dear, what shall | 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
ly | think, Miss, they were all put up
iE an Old trunk in the garnet overhead
sobbei the now thoroughly cowed house
keeper.
60 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 | 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 you, | will
You're right. Mrs. Upcroft; you will,
and very much to your detriment, too II
the paper | want is not forthcoming.
You're not talking to 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 | know and, by heavens, I'll take
pretty good care you get there. They
have stood your nsolen:e 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. III run through
your accounts after you are gone, and fan
cy / can substantiate a tolerable charge
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 wears She topped down on her
knees and implored that mercy might be
shown her. backing her entreaties with
many Sohs and tears.
Here they all are, Gren." said Maudc
entering the room. Il tumbled them into
this towel; l couldn't carry them in my
hands Good gracious, Mrs. Upcroft, dc
get up What is the natter"
Stay where you are, and apologize tC
Miss DeniSon for your impertinence, be
fore YOU rise Numbered Granville
Quick woman. and I'll be lenient about
the second charge I have against you"
oh please forgive me. Miss Maude
/ didn't mean it-indeed l didn't :" within
pcred the crestfalen 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 - h,
shouted. rs, after running his eye ovel
some half a dozen mouldy papers, a more
musty parchment than usual came beneath
his ken. This will do. You can go
Mrs Upcroft without police escort 70
the present: but you had better bear il
mind. in future. that if you are inSolen
to Miss Denison you will settle with me
and that next time l promise you it shall
be settlement in full
With low curtsy the diScomfortc,
housekeeper left the room-anger ragin,
in her breast. but mixed with stron
proportion of fear. Her malevolenc
would know no bounds if she SHOULD
ever see her opportunity; but for the pres
emf Granville Rose had established
wholesome terrorism.
Let her go. my darling" said Gren
vile, as he stole his arm round Maude'
waist This is the deed | wanted
must leave for town directly after break
fast. Armed with this. | think | ca
safely say Pearman shall trouble you IL
more What guerdon is your cha mpio
to have when he has rescued you fror
the dragon?"
Nothing. I'm afraid"
You migrate, What do you mean?"
What l said. l fear, Gren." reptile
the girl. as she lifted her smiling fac
TO his. that l have given my champion
all | have to give already. and if tina
don't satisfy him, can only"
Miss Denison's further views on tn
subject were never promulgated. for rea
sons that are palpably obvious nor wi
an ordinary observer be much astonishe
to hear that the cousins put in a dis
gracefully late appearance at the break
fast table--a fact that may be quoted i
support of my great theory. that earl
rising is dependent on fictitious excite
ment. and not in accordance with naturs
laws.
Breakfast over, Granville had a hui
ried interview with the squire the resu
of which was great jubilatiOn on Harol
Denison's part, and a remark that he ha
always had an immense opinion of GreI
ville's talents. and that he thought pre-
ent circumstances already justified h
opinion.
"Good-by. uncle" said Rose, as
stood On the steps of the carriage this
was TO convey him to the station.
think I'm right, but you mustn't blan
me if I've made a mistake. I'll telegrap
as soon as l have had counsels opinio
my friend here" and he tapped h
travelling bag. in which reposed the an,
iously sought for deed.
Mac, I fanl ynu'