Part 12 (2/2)

The little man was deeply touched, but with true Scotch horror of a demonstration he cried, ”Tut, tut, la.s.sie, ye're makin' an auld fule o'

your uncle. Come now, be sensible!”

”Sensible!” echoed his niece, kissing him again. ”That's my living description among all my acquaintance. It is their gentle way of reminding me that the ordinary feminine graces of sweetness and general loveliness are denied me.”

”And more fools they!” grunted her uncle. ”You're worth the hale caboodle o' them.”

That same evening there were others who shared this opinion, and none more enthusiastically than did Mr. Dunn, whom Miss Brodie chanced to meet just as she turned out of the Waverly Station.

”Oh, Mr. Dunn,” she cried, ”how very fortunate!” Her face glowed with excitement.

”For me; yes, indeed!” said Mr. Dunn, warmly greeting her.

”For me, for young Cameron, for us all,” said Miss Brodie. ”Oh, Rob, is that you?” she continued, as her eye fell upon the youngster standing with cap off waiting her recognition. ”Look at this!” she flashed a letter before Dunn's face. ”What do you think of that?”

Dunn took the letter. ”It's to Sheratt,” he said, with a puzzled air.

”Yes,” cried Miss Brodie, mimicking his tone, ”it's to Sheratt, from Sir Archibald, and it means that Cameron is safe. The police will never--”

”The police,” cried Dunn, hastily, getting between young Rob and her and glancing at his brother, who stood looking from one to the other with a startled face.

”How stupid! The police are a truly wonderful body of men,” she went on with enthusiasm. ”They look so splendid. I saw some of them as I came along. But never mind them now. About this letter. What's to do?”

Dunn glanced at his watch. ”We need every minute.” He stood a moment or two thinking deeply while Miss Brodie chatted eagerly with Rob, whose face retained its startled and anxious look. ”First to Mr. Rae's office.

Come!” cried Mr. Dunn.

”But this letter ought to go.”

”Yes, but first Mr. Rae's office.” Mr. Dunn had a.s.sumed command. His words shot out like bullets.

Miss Brodie glanced at him with a new admiration in her face. As a rule she objected to being ordered about, but somehow it seemed good to accept commands from this young man, whose usually genial face was now set in such resolute lines.

”Here, Rob, you cut home and tell them not to wait dinner for me.”

”All right, Jack!” But instead of tearing off as was his wont whenever his brother gave command, Rob lingered. ”Can't I wait a bit, Jack, to see--to see if anything--?” Rob was striving hard to keep his voice in command and his face steady. ”It's Cameron, Jack. I know!” He turned his back on Miss Brodie, unwilling that she should see his lips quiver.

”What are you talking about?” said his brother sharply.

”Oh, it is all my stupid fault, Mr. Dunn,” said Miss Brodie. ”Let him come along a bit with us. I say, youngster, you are much too acute,” she continued, as they went striding along together toward Mr. Rae's office.

”But will you believe me if I tell you something? Will you? Straight now?”

The boy glanced up into her honest blue eyes, and nodded his head.

”Your friend Cameron is quite all right. He was in some difficulty, but now he's quite all right. Do you believe me?”

The boy looked again steadily into her eyes. The anxious fear pa.s.sed out of his face, and once more he nodded; he knew he could not keep his voice quite steady. But after a few paces he said to his brother, ”I think I'll go now, Jack.” His mind was at rest; his idol was safe.

”Oh, come along and protect me,” cried Miss Brodie. ”These lawyer people terrify me.”

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