Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1923-05-10
scroope quietly, seems to be called

ONAoVPC quANhSt
for"
Aimee, avoiding her aunt's eyes, adj
dressed herself to the quivering ear
trumpet.
81 didn't want to come here. Dad
made me. 1 was-frightened Of you.
Anyway, 1 didn't think Jervaulx would
suit me, and that you'd hate me. So 1
skipped the car at Burn Ash" said
Aimee, her speech pouring from her like
a torrent, land made the chauffeur
bring Georgina on here. And l went
off on my own!
"Georgina arrived here, and you
took her for me. You insisted she was
me. And she didn't dare explain, for
fear of getting me into a row. That's
what George is! She can't lie-she
can't even act-but she'd let you cut
her in pieces before she'd get me into
trouble!
81 got mere the same night, and
climbed into her room. And George
begged me to own up, and l wouldn't.
And / came the next night; George
was ready to give it all away-and
then the burglars got in. l was nearly
caught, all the household chased me,
the butler tore a great piece out of my
skirt. But I got away, and at last,
right down by the crossroads, l ran into
Bil-Mr. Spencer"
Aimee paused for breath.
"Who," inquired Lord Scroope, in the
hush that followed, "is Mr.. %Spencer?"
"a m~otorcyclist. He had come across
the thieves getting away, had a fight
with them-they were too many for
him, but he got back some of the jew
els. I told him the awful mess / was
in. OF course, the police were after
me-Td seen their car already. If they
got hold of me, they'd know the-the
silly thing I'd DONE" said Aimee with
a gulp. at would come out that l was
your daughter-it would be all over the
country, and in all the newspapers"
Lord Scroope, very pale, drew a deep
breath, and gave a prolonged shudder.
"B-Mr. Spencer told me I'd got to
go back and make a clean breast Of 1t
all. He wanted to tell you. But 1 didn't
dare. l refused to let him say any
thing-I made him swear he wouldn't.
1t was my trouble, not his. So he did
what l asked even though it meant
the police would suspect him, too. So
he took the jewels to Aunt Erythea,
and never said a word about me-; and
when she offered him the job as chauf-
feur he took it; so that the police
wouldn't suspect him-or mel He
came here and drove Aunt's carsp'
"And you?" said her father quietly.
"What happened to your"
81 went back to Scroope next day. 1
found Amy Shocks was coming here as
maid-I made her go to Seabridge, and
took her place, Dad. Just to be safe
from those beastly police-in the hope
they'd catch the thieves, if we gave
them time-and her they wouldn't
catch me and make me explain. And
It's just what happened; Billy-Mr.
Spencer-caught one of them yester-
day, and the police have got him. No
body knows anything about me, except
you here"
alllCG pdIlCQ n u uNOl at OQJs
sand Billy's asked me to marry him,
and I'm going to-" she said desperate
~. 81 love him! There's nobody like
Billy-he's been splendid! He isn't d
chauffeur at all-till Aunt made him
one. And I'd marry him, ever if he
tears.
There was 8 stunned silence. For
once speech denied itself even to Lady
Erythea. Georgia. was sobbing gently
in the chair. Alexander still stood ever
her and said nothing.
81 seem to find a thread Of enligh+er-
ment in this story" said Lord ScrGope,
slowly. Eyes, | think l know enough
n you, Aimee, to understand. l have
IA question to put. You came here on
the day following the burglary. Where
did bu spend the previous night?
WIS were you doing?"
Il was in a cave!"
Lord Scroope passed a long white
hand across his brow.
"a cave?" he repeated, blankly. "Ycu
nave reverted, it seems, to the customs
OF our Neolithic ancestors"
at was a ripping cave" said Aimee
Il little Historically, "down in the crag
pits. All the little rabbits for company.
1t was more peaceful thar Jervaulx.
! know it wouldn't have suited Georgia"
"May l ask when this unknow,r
young man permitted himself to pro-
pose to you?"
Yesterday"
I'VE will not pursue that matter"
said Lord Scroope, gloomily; "this
hardly seems the time or place for de
tailed explanations. l feel"
The door opened and Monsieur de
Jussac entered. He gave a slight start
as his eyes travelled rapidly over the
group.
"a thousand ~pardons! A family
matter, 1 perceive" he said quickly, II
will withdraw"
Don't go. Vicomte! !" exclaimed
A{ano0 uAnvona vrko,c n friapd ~