Part 11 (1/2)
”You old mattra.s.s!” said Sir G.o.dfrey. Then he turned to his daughter.
But this young lady had had a little time to gather her thoughts in.
So she cut short all awkward questionings with excellent promptness.
”Papa!” she began, breathlessly. ”There! I heard it again!”
”Heard it? What?” cried the Baron, his eyes starting.
”It waked me up-stairs, and I ran to get you in your room, and you----”
”It--it? What's it? What waked you?” broke in Sir G.o.dfrey, his voice rising to a shriek.
”There it is again!” exclaimed Elaine, clasping her hands. ”He's coming! I hear him. The Dragon! Oh!”
With this, she pretended to rush for the pa.s.sage, where the squeaks of Mistletoe could be heard already growing distant in the house. Away bolted Sir G.o.dfrey after her, shouting to Elaine in terror undisguised, ”Lock your door! Lock your door!” as he fled up-stairs.
So there stood Miss Elaine alone, with the coast clear, and no danger from these two courageous guardians. Then came a knock from outside, and her heart bounded as she ran through the cellar and undid the door.
”You darling!” said Geoffrey, jumping in with legs all covered with snow. He left the door open wide, and had taken four or five kisses at the least before she could stop him. ”The moon was out for a while,”
he continued, ”and the snow stopped. So I came a long way round-about, that my tracks should not be seen. That's good strategy.”
But this strange young lady said no word, and looked at him as if she were going to cry.
”Why, what's the matter, dear?” he asked.
”Oh, Geoffrey! I have been deceiving papa so.”
”Pooh! It's not to be thought of.”
”But I can't help thinking. I never supposed I could do so. And it comes so terribly easy. And I'm not a bit clever when I'm good.
And--oh!” She covered her face and turned away from him.
”Stuff and nonsense!” Geoffrey broke out. ”Do be reasonable. Here is a dragon. Isn't there?”
”Yes.”
”And everybody wants to get rid of him?”
”Yes.”
”And he's robbing your father?”
”Yes.”
”So you're acting for your father's good?”
”Y--yes.”