Part 5 (1/2)

”I don't believe a word of your story; but I am willing to be sure before I do anything.”

”What are you going to do?”

”I shall take care of you; you will know what I mean when I have proved the case.”

”You ought to have told Mrs. Green where you put the cat, for the poor creature would have starved to death before I let her out.”

”We shall see. Mr. Grant told me to take care of you if you did not behave yourself while the family were away. I will go up and ask Mrs.

Green about this matter, and if I find you have not told me the truth,--and I don't believe you have,--I shall take care of you.”

”When shall I see you again?” asked f.a.n.n.y, with the most brazen impudence.

”You will see me sooner than you will want to see me, if you have been doing wrong.”

”But I shall not be here when you come back. We are going right up to school now.”

”I can find you, wherever you are,” replied the constable, confidently, as he walked away towards the mansion.

f.a.n.n.y was entirely relieved of all her fears; she was even jubilant over her success in cheating her persecutor. Her conscience did not trouble her now. She readily comprehended the details of the plan by which she was to be detected, if she attempted to steal from the library. Of course, the constable would soon find out that she had not told the truth, and that Mrs. Green knew nothing about the cat in the drawer.

After the announcement that the family were to be absent a week, had been made, it was observed that f.a.n.n.y was in unusually good spirits.

Miss f.a.n.n.y had detected her in the act of looking through one of the library windows, while her father was paying a bill in the room. Mr.

Grant, wealthy as he was, had always been very methodical in his business affairs. He kept a sum of money in a drawer for household expenses, to which Mrs. Green and his daughters had access. When anything was paid out by any member of the family, the amount was put down on a paper in the drawer. After the advent of f.a.n.n.y Jane, and after she had been detected in some small pilfering, the key of this drawer was concealed as we have described.

Miss f.a.n.n.y at once suspected the motive of her wayward charge, and told her father of the fact, on the day before the departure of the family for Hudson. Mr. Grant, more desirous of reforming the wicked girl than of anything else, consulted Mr. Long. Mrs. Green was told where she might find money for the payment of the household bills, and admonished to be very careful in concealing the keys; but nothing was said to her about the cat and the commandment. If f.a.n.n.y did attempt to steal, the case was to be managed by the constable, who had been instructed to take her to his own house, and keep her in close subjection until the return of the family.

The cat belonged to Mr. Long, who was confident that the animal, when released by the act of the thief, would run home, when her presence would inform him of the culprit's deed. The cat--true to her domestic instinct--had run home; but the constable had not immediately seen her.

As soon as he discovered the tell-tale p.u.s.s.y, he hastened over to Woodville, expecting to find f.a.n.n.y penitently studying the commandment, which was the moral of Mr. Grant's stratagem; but before he reached the house he saw two girls on the pier, and recognized f.a.n.n.y as one of them.

Willing to be entirely fair, and deeming it possible that Mr. Grant's plan had failed, he went up to the house to consult Mrs. Green, while f.a.n.n.y rushed down the pier to join her companion in mischief.

CHAPTER IV.

f.a.n.n.y THE SKIPPER.

”What did he want of you, Fan?” asked Kate Magner, with a curiosity not unmixed with anxiety, as her leader in mischief joined her at the foot of the pier.

”O, never mind that,” exclaimed f.a.n.n.y, in reply. ”We have no time to talk about it now.”

”But what did he say?” demanded Kate, who thought her present action ought to be governed in some measure by the words of the constable.

”He didn't say much; it is all right now. Come, jump into the boat. We haven't a moment to lose.”

”I want to know what he said before I get any deeper into the mud,”

persisted Kate; but we are compelled to acknowledge that her scruples were mere worldly prudence, and were not called forth by the upbraidings of an awakened conscience.

”You can't back out now, Kate. I made it all right with Mr. Long,”