CHAPTER THIRTY.
"Now, sir, have you any more to say?"
A simple enough question, but when spoken to me sternly before thosepresent, in my uncle's fierce, military voice, and accompanied by looksthat seemed crushing in their contempt, they were very hard to bear inthat strange silence which followed.
There they all stood and sat about me, while I felt like a prisoner atthe bar before my judge. It was terrible, and I wavered.
Should I speak, and accuse poor, weak, amiable Tom Mercer, and send himaway in disgrace, or should I suffer now, and wait till the truth cameout by and by?
I was deciding on the latter, when I heard a sob which seemed to echo inmy throat, and I looked up quickly from where my eyes had rested on aparticular spot in the pattern of the library carpet, to see my mother'sconvulsed face and yearning eyes fixed upon me, as Mrs Doctor stood byher side, holding her hand quite affectionately.
That look decided me.
"Poor Tom," I said to myself, "I must throw you over for her sake;" andmy lips parted to speak, when my uncle checked me by his stern, harshvoice.
"Silent! The silence of guilt!" he cried bitterly. "I have--"
"Stop a moment, Seaborough," cried the General. "Let me have a word,for poor dead Burr's sake. Frank, boy, I've always liked you, andbelieved in you, as the bright, manly son of a dear dead friend. Don'tlet me go away feeling that I can never trust any one again. I won'tbelieve it--I can't believe it--that the blood and breed in your youngveins would let you stoop to be a miserable, contemptible thief, and forthe sake of a paltry silver watch. Why, my dear boy, you must haveknown that, as soon as you were old enough to want a watch, you couldhave had a gold one of the very best. Why, hang it all, sir, for yourfather's and mother's sake, I'd have hung you all over watches. Comenow, speak out before us all like a man, and tell us what all thismystery means. Tell us that you did not steal this watch."
"Why, of course he didn't!" cried a familiar voice, and as I startedround at these hopeful words, which seemed to give me life, I saw Cookbusily tying the strings of her best cap, the one my mother had senther, before untying and snatching off her apron, as if she had come tothe library in such a hurry that she had not had time to prepare.
"Cook!" exclaimed Mrs Doctor sternly.
"Oh, yes, ma'am, I know," cried Cook defiantly, as she reached back andcaught somebody's arm just outside the door. "Here, you come in, Polly'Opley; there's nothing to be ashamed of, my dear. You come in."
Polly Hopley, dressed in her best, suffered herself to be dragged in,and then, after whispering, "Do adone, do, Cook," began to make bobs andcourtesies to everybody in turn.
"Er--rum!" coughed the Doctor. "My good woman," he cried severely,"what is the meaning of this intrusion?"
"You may call it what you like, sir," cried Cook sharply; "and you too,mum," she continued, turning to Mrs Doctor, "and give me my month, ordistant ismissal if you like."
Cook meant to say, "instant dismissal," but she was excited, and, givinga defiant look round, she went on,--
"I don't care, and I says it's a shame, not alone to keep the poor boylocked up like a prisoner, and badly fed, as does a growing boy no endof harm; and I will say it, mum," she continued, turning to my mother,"as dear and good a boy as ever came into this school, but to go and sayhe was a thief, as he couldn't be, sir. You look in his eyes and see."
This to the Doctor, who coughed again.
"My good woman, I must insist upon you leaving the room."
"A moment, Doctor," cried my uncle eagerly; "this person seems to knowsomething. Stop!"
"I wasn't a-going, sir," said Cook sharply, "not till I've spoke outwhat I've come to say."
"Then, for goodness' sake, speak, woman, and go," cried the Doctorangrily. "We are engaged."
"Which well I know it, sir, and I'm going to speak," said Cook, withdignity; "and if I'd known before Polly 'Opley--your keeper's wife'sdaughter, Sir Orkus," she continued, turning to the General.
"Oh yes, yes, yes, I knew Polly when she was a baby," said the oldgentleman, nodding at the girl, who courtesied to him; "but if you knowanything about this--this terrible affair, speak out."
"Which I will, sir, and if I lose my place, and you do happen to want agood plain--"
"Cook, Cook, pray speak out," cried Mrs Doctor.
"Which I'm trying to, ma'am, only you all flurry me so. You see Iknowed as Master Burr was shut up, something about some trouble orscrape--as boys will be boys, and always was, but being busy in mykidgen, and plenty to do, and the young gentlemen all forbid to say whatit was about, so as I never knowed till this morning, when Polly 'Opleycomes and tells me all about it, as Mr Lomax goes and tells herfather--your keeper, sir--and Polly only this morning, and she neverknowed it before, and then came on and told me something as'll make youall ashamed of treating a poor boy like that."
"Yes, yes, yes," said my uncle impatiently; "but do you know anythingabout the watch?"
"Which I'm telling you, sir," cried Cook, "though not a word did I knowtill Polly 'Opley comes just now, when I see it all as plain aspie-crust, and I says to her, `Polly,' I says, `they're all in thelibery now, and you shall come and tell 'em the whole truth.'"
"Then you know, Polly, my child?" said the General eagerly.
"Yes, Sir Orkus, please, Sir Orkus," said Polly, blushing.
"Then, then, tell us all at once, there's a good girl."
"Yes, Sir Orkus. Not as I ever encouraged him a bit to come to ourcottage."
"Humph!" said the Doctor; "you always bait your trap with sweets to getthe boys to come, girl."
"Please, sir, I didn't mean the young gentlemen, I meant Dick Magglin."
"Eh, what?" cried the General.
"Please, Sir Orkus, if I've ordered him away once, I've done it fiftytimes, and father's threatened him and beat him, but he would come."
"What! did he want to marry you?"
"Yes, Sir Orkus, but I wouldn't demean myself to listen to him."
"Of course not! a poaching vagabond. Go on, go on." Every eye wasfixed on Polly, whose cheeks were scarlet, as she gave me a sharp look,full of encouragement.
"Yes, Sir Orkus, and he was always bringing me his rubbish, and wantingme to have it, hankychies, and ribbings, and a gilt brooch, as you couldsee wasn't gold."
"And you wouldn't take them?"
"No, Sir Orkus, never nothing, and then he said it was because I was tooproud, and thought they wasn't good enough for me, and then he didn'tcome any more till one day when he brought me a silver watch."
A curious murmur ran through the room, and my mother ran to my side andthrew her arms about my neck.
"Yes, go on, Polly," said the General, rubbing his hands. "What sort ofa watch was it?"
"A little one, sir, with a fancy face and two letters cut in a roundspot on the back."
"What letters were they?" said the General.
"A Hee and a B, sir."
"Eliezer Burr," said the Doctor loudly. "Hah!" and he took off hisgold-rimmed spectacles, rubbed them, and began to beam.
"Should you--" began my uncle.
"No, no, no, Seaborough; allow me," said the General. "My turn. I wascoming to that. Now, Polly, be careful, and don't say anything rash,because this is very serious."
"Oh yes, Sir Orkus."
"Dear me, Doctor," said the General apologetically, "I am sorry we haveno h's here."
"Pray go on, Sir Hawkhurst," said the Doctor, smiling, and aspiratingboth in the name forcibly.
"Now, Polly, should you know that watch?"
"Oh yes, Sir Orkus; both the hands were together at twelve o'clock, andthe glass was a bit scratched, and I told him I didn't believe he cameby the watch honest, and that if ever he dared to come near the placeagain to want me to accept his rubbish, I'd take father's gun down outof the slings and give him a charge of shot in his legs."
"Then, Polly, you didn't take the watch?"
"Me, Sir Orkus!" cried Polly indignan
tly; "I should think not, indeed.I told him to be off, and he went away in a huff."
"In a what?"
"A huff, Sir Orkus, a huff--a passion."
"Oh, I see. And now tell me--be careful. Give me the--the--thank you.Now, Polly, is that anything like the watch?"
"Oh yes, Sir Orkus, that's the very one. If you open it, you'll hear itshuts with a very loud snap."
"So it does," said the General, putting it to the test. "And now, tellme, when was this? You don't recollect?"
"Oh yes, I do, Sir Orkus. It was nex' day after the cricket match,because I was cleaning my best shoes, as I wore at the match, when hecome."
"Very good, Polly," said the General, rubbing his hands.
"Excellent!" said my uncle; "but that does not prove the man stole it."
"Why, he must have crept along the ditch behind the tent," I criedinvoluntarily, "and pushed his arm through. Yes, I know," I said,getting more excited, as my mother's arm tightened about me. "I saw himthat evening with his face all stung by nettles."
"That ditch is full of nettles," cried Mr Hasnip.
"Good! good!" cried the General.
"But how came the watch hidden in that bin?" cried my uncle sternly.
"I know," said Cook. "Why, of course, he was afraid to keep it; andit's just like him."
"I do not follow you," said my uncle.
"Why, when he was at work in our garden, my smelling-bottle o' salts wasstolen, and when I made a fuss about it, some one found it hid awaybehind the scullery door, where he put it."
"Then you think this man hid it there?" said my uncle.
"I'm sure of it, sir. Why, didn't I catch him one morning early comingout of the stable, and, `What are you doing there?' I says. `Lookingfor the top of my hoe,' he says, `as I left here when I was at work.Ain't seen it, have you?' he says. `No,' I says, `but I see thegardener just now coming to work, and I'll call him.' `Never mind,mum,' he says, and he went off, and nobody's seen him about here since.Oh, look there! Poor dear!"
I just saved my mother from falling, and she was helped into a chair,clinging to my hand, though, all the time, as she burst into ahysterical fit of sobbing. But she calmed down after a few minutes, andthe gentlemen, who had been talking in a low voice earnestly together,now resumed their places, the Doctor clearing his voice loudly.
"Burr junior," he said in his most magisterial tones, and then hestopped short, coughed again, blew his nose, and was silent.
"Forgive me, gentlemen," he said at last. "This has been a greattrouble to me--I feel moved--I have painfully hurt the feelings of adear, sweet lady, to whom I humbly apologise, and I--I make nofavourites here, but I have wrongfully suspected--but on very strongevidence, gentlemen," he said, with an appealing look round; "and youagreed with me, Mr Rebble--Mr Hasnip?"
"Yes, sir. Yes, sir," they murmured.
"Wrongfully suspected a boy to whom my wife and I were warmly attached.Burr junior--I--er--Frank, my boy, come here!"
I went up to him, flushed now and trembling.
"Shake hands, my boy," said the old man, "and thank God with me that thetruth has at last prevailed. But tell me, Burr, we do not know all yet.You have been very reticent. You denied the charge stoutly, but yourmanner always impressed us with the belief that you knew more. Now letus clear up this sad business once for all. You will speak out now,will you not?"
"Yes, sir," I said huskily, and my cheeks burned with shame as I glancedat Mercer, who was now making horrible grimaces at me to indicate hisjoy.
"Then there was something?"
"Yes, sir," I said, and I glanced at my mother, whose face was now palewith fresh alarm. "Dicksee did see me find the watch there and hide itagain."
"Yes; go on."
"Ever since Burr major had that watch, Mercer longed for it, and he wasalways talking about it, and wishing he had one."
"Well, I couldn't help that, Frank," cried Mercer; "but of course Iwouldn't have taken it."
"No, Tom," I said, with a gulp, and my voice changing in spite of myefforts to be firm, and, a thorough schoolboy and companion once more, Iblundered out, "but I was such a beast, I thought you had stolen it, andI wouldn't speak to save myself for fear you should be expelled."
"Oh!" cried Mercer in the midst of the silence which now fell.
Then, drawing a long breath, he went on,--
"You thought I took it and hid it?"
"Yes, Tom."
"Oh, I say, Frank, when it was all at the worst, and you were locked up,I never thought a word against you; but--" He paused for a moment, andthen, forgetting that we were not alone, he rushed at me and caught myhands.
"Then you forgive me?" I said.
"Why, of course," he cried. "Oh, Frank, I am glad!"
The Doctor coughed loudly, and our action seemed to have given thegentlemen present colds. Then the Doctor signed to his wife, whisperedto her, and she left the room with Cook and Polly Hopley. Next hesigned to Mr Rebble and Mr Hasnip, who both came and shook hands withme, bowed to the General and my uncle, and they too left the room, withBurr major and Dicksee.
"Mercer," said the Doctor then.
"No, no," cried the General; "let him stop. Come here, sir: over here."
The General spoke in so severe a voice, and frowned so much, that Mercerlooked at him shrinkingly, and the harder as the old man brought hishand down heavily upon his shoulder--Tom's face seeming to say, "Whathave I done now?"
"So, sir, you have been longing for a watch all this time, have you,eh?"
"Yes, Sir Hawkhurst," said Tom slowly. Then, with animation, "But I didalways try very hard not to want one."
"Then you shall have one, as good a one as money can buy."
Mercer's face was a picture of astonishment, changing to doubt and thento delight as he fully realised that the General meant it.
"Do you hear, Frank? Oh, I say!" Then, catching the old man's hand inboth of his; he cried, "May I have a hunter?"
"You shall, my boy. And Frank Burr, you shall have one too."
"No," said my uncle, "that's my present. Frank, my lad, we've all beenwrong; but I can't apologise, for you led us astray."
"Oh, that's enough, Seaborough," cried the General. "The boys don'twant to hear another word. Eh?--you were going to speak, Doctor."
"Only a few words, sir. Colonel Seaborough, Mrs Burr, I cannot tellyou how grieved I am for this painful episode--believe me."
My mother went to the Doctor and placed her hand in his.
"Pray say no more," she said gently.
"I will not, my dear madam, for your looks tell me that I am forgivenfor my share of the mental agony I have caused you.--Of course, you willtake your son away and place him in another school?"
"Eh? What for?" said the General sharply. "You don't want him to go,do you, stuffy boy?"
"Oh no, sir," cried Mercer.
"Do you want to go, Frank?"
"No, sir," I said eagerly; "I should like to stay."
"Of course," cried the General. "He's to stop, eh, Seaborough?"
"I should regret it, if he left," said my uncle.
"To be sure you would, and I should miss him. Don't expel him, Doctor."
"I? I should only be too glad if he stays."
"Then that's all right," said the General. "Ah, here is Mrs Brown."
He crossed to place a chair for her, and then stood looking from one tothe other.
"Yes," he said, "that's it. Ladies, will you honour a solitary old manwith your company to dinner at my place this evening? Doctor, will youbring your wife? Seaborough and Mrs Burr, pray come over with me now,and, if the Doctor does not mind, I should like to take these two boysback with us."
Consent was given directly, and the rest of that day was spent in amanner which made me pretty well forget the troubles which had gonebefore.