Part 23 (2/2)
”Dear, dear,” she said. ”How disgracefully this miniature has been cracked and distorted. A child's face, I see, painted in a weak, washed-out style, and gla.s.s and ivory are both broken, and frame bent.
This miniature must have been subjected to very rough usage. The miniature is yours, Miss Nelson?”
”Yes. It is a likeness of my--my sister. Give it back to me, please, Miss Wilton.”
”And you say it was stolen from you?”
”Yes. It always hung over that mantelpiece. It was taken away the day after the boys came home from school.”
Miss Wilton stood quite still for a moment; she was a very downright, practical sort of person. ”Extraordinary as my question must seem, Basil,” she said, turning suddenly to her nephew, ”I am forced to ask it, as you appear to be mixed up in the affair. Did you take the miniature?”
”I? Certainly not,” said Basil, coloring high.
”But you know something about it?”
”Yes; I know something about it.”
”Who took it away?”
”I am not at liberty to tell you, Aunt Elizabeth.”
Miss Nelson gazed anxiously into Basil's face. She had put the broken bits of ivory on the table. Now she tenderly laid the soft tissue-paper over them.
”You have brought me back the miniature, Basil,” she said.
”I have,” said Basil bluntly, ”and that's about all. I don't know how it was broken, and what else I know I am not going to tell. I'm awfully sorry about the whole thing, but I thought you would rather have the miniature back as it is, than not get it at all, Miss Nelson.”
”That is true,” said Miss Nelson.
Basil was turning to leave the room, but Miss Wilton suddenly stepped before him to the door, and shut it.
”You shan't leave, sir, until you tell everything!” she said. ”_I_ know what mischievous creatures boys are. You took that miniature away out of wanton mischief; you fiddled with it, and broke it, and now you are afraid to confess. But I'll have no funking the truth. Tell what you have done, this minute, you bad boy!”
”I found the miniature, and I've returned it to Miss Nelson,” replied Basil, in a quiet, still voice, which kept under all the anger which made his dark eyes glow.
”Yes, and you stole it in the first instance, and then broke it. Out with the truth; no half-measures with me,” retorted Miss Wilton.
Basil laughed harshly.
”You're mistaken, Aunt Elizabeth; I neither stole the miniature nor broke it.”
”I am sure Basil is speaking the truth,” said Miss Nelson.
”And I am sure of the reverse,” retorted Miss Wilton. ”There is guilt in his face, in his manner. Naughty, defiant boy, you shall tell me what you know!”
”I am not naughty or defiant, Aunt Elizabeth, and I don't wish to be rude to you or anyone. I have told all I can about the miniature. May I go now please, Miss Nelson?”
”Highty-tighty!” exclaimed Miss Wilton; ”this is insubordination with a vengeance. I shall call my brother here. Basil, I insist upon your remaining where you are until your father arrives.”
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