Part 24 (1/2)
Miss Wilton immediately left the room. Basil went and stood by the window. The blinds were up, and there was moonlight outside. He could see the path across which Ermengarde had hurried the night before.
Miss Nelson came suddenly up, and touched the boy's arm.
”Basil,” she said, ”I wish to tell you that I fully believe in you.”
”Oh, thank you very much,” he answered, glancing at her for an instant, and then gazing once more out of the window.
”But,” continued the governess, ”I wish you would trust me with the whole truth.”
He shook his head. At this moment Mr. Wilton and his sister came in together.
”These are the circ.u.mstances, Roderick,” began Miss Wilton at once.
”Pray, Miss Nelson, allow me to speak. Here is the miniature, broken in two, disgracefully injured. Here, look at it--a deceased relative, I believe, of Miss Nelson's--stolen out of her room ten days ago.
Basil, returns it this evening broken, says he does not know how it was broken and declines to tell how it got into his possession.”
Mr. Wilton took the pieces of ivory into his hand, looked at the poor little distorted face, put the pieces back on the table, and turned to his son.
”Is your Aunt Elizabeth's version of this affair correct, Basil?” he inquired.
”Yes, father,” replied Basil. ”It is perfectly correct. I found the broken miniature, and I have just returned it.”
”How did you find it?”
”I can't say, sir.”
”You mean you won't say?”
”Very well, father; I won't say.”
Mr. Wilton colored. Miss Wilton gave a triumphant ”Humph!” and a muttered ”I told you so.” Miss Nelson nervously clasped and unclasped her thin hands.
”Basil,” said his father after a pause, ”you are a very good lad, and I have every trust in you. You have a reason for boldly defying your father's wishes. But when I, who am your father, and know a great deal better than you do what is right and wrong in this matter, desire you once again to tell me all you know, you will, of course, instantly obey me.”
”I am deeply and truly sorry, father, but I can't obey you.”
”T'ch! no more of this! go to my study this moment, and wait there till I come to you.”
CHAPTER XIV.
I SERVE.
”Maggie,” said her governess, early the next morning, ”Maggie, dear, wake up at once.”
Marjorie opened her sleepy gray eyes with a start, sprang up in bed, and began to rub them violently.
”Oh, Miss Nelson, is that you? What is the matter?”