Part 38 (1/2)

”I am going to take your brother away with me, and I sha'n't let a moment go by without trying to put things square. I think the best thing will be for me to take him right up to London, and go straight to his employers; but I haven't told him so. If I did, he'd shy and kick; but it will be the best way. And I dare say a bit of a talk with the people will help to put matters right.”

”But will they prosecute, Mr Burge? It would be so dreadful!”

”So it would, my dear; but they won't. They'll talk big about wanting to make an example, and that sort of thing, and then they'll come round, and I shall square it up. Oh, here he comes. There, say good-bye to your sister, young man, for we've no time to spare. Now, go in first.

Good-bye, Miss Thorne.”

”Mr Burge, I cannot find words to tell you how grateful I am,” cried Hazel in tears.

”I don't want you to,” he replied bluntly, as he shook hands impressively, but with the greatest deference. ”I couldn't find words to tell you, my dear, how grateful I am to think that you are ready to trust me when you want a friend.”

Here Mr William Forth Burge stuck his hat on very fiercely, and went home without a word, Percy Thorne walking humbly by his side, and checking his desire to say to himself that after all, Mr William.

Forth Burge did seem to be a regular cad.

CHAPTER THIRTY.

MR BURGE IS BUSINESS-LIKE.

”I am the last person in the world, Rebecca, to interfere,” said Beatrice, as she busied herself making a series of holes with some thick white cotton, which she wriggled till something like a pattern was contrived; ”but I cannot sit still and see that young person misbehaving as she does.”

”I quite agree with you, dear, and it shocks me to see into what a state of moral blindness poor Henry has plunged.”

”Ah!” sighed her sister, ”it is very sad;” and she sighed again and thought of a certain scarlet woman. ”What would he say if he knew that Miss Thorne openly sent letters to Mr William Forth Burge?”

”But they might be business letters,” said Rebecca.

”Miss Thorne has no right to send business letters to Mr William Forth Burge,” said Beatrice angrily. ”If there are any business matters in connection with the school, the letter, if letter there be--for it would be much more in accordance with Miss Thorne's duty if she came in all due humility--”

”Suitably dressed,” said Rebecca.

”Exactly,” a.s.sented her sister. ”--to the Vicarage and stated what was required. Or if she wrote, it should be to the vicar, when the letter would be in due course referred to us, and we should see what ought to be done.”

”Exactly so,” a.s.sented Rebecca.

”Mr William Forth Burge has been a great benefactor to the schools; but they are the Church schools, and, for my part, I do not approve of everything being referred to him.”

”I--I think you are right, Beatrice,” a.s.sented Rebecca; ”but Mr William Forth Burge has, as you say, been a great benefactor to the schools.”

”Exactly; a very great benefactor, Rebecca; but that is no reason why Miss Thorne should write to him.”

”I quite agree with you there, Beatrice; and now I have something more to tell you, which I have just heard as I came up the town.”

”About the schools?”

”Well, not exactly about the schools, but about the school-cottage. I heard, on very good authority, that the Thornes have a young man staying in the house.”

”A young man!”

”Yes; he arrived there yesterday afternoon, and Mr Chute, who was my informant, looked quite scandalised.”