Part 46 (1/2)

Dodd began to be uneasy. ”Why, good heavens, there is nothing wrong with the old Barkington Bank?”

”Nothing wrong?” roared Maxley: then whispered': ”Holt! I was laad once for slander, and cost me thirty pounds: nearly killed my missus it did.”

”Man!” cried Dodd, ”for my children's sake tell me if you know anything amiss. After all, I'm like a stranger here; more than two years away at a time.”

”I'll tell you all I know,” whispered Maxley, ”'tis the least I can do.

What (roaring) do--you--think--I've forgotten you saving my poor boy out o' that sc.r.a.pe, and getting him a good place in Canada, and--why, he'd have been put in prison but for you, and that would ha' broken my heart and his mother's--and----” The stout voice began to quaver.

”Oh, bother all that now,” said Dodd impatiently. ”The bank! you have grounded me on thorns.”

”Well, I'll tell ye: but you must promise faithful not to go and say I told ye, or you'll get me laad again: and I likes to laa _them,_ not for _they_ to laa me.”

”I promise, I promise.”

”Well then, I got a letter to-day from my boy, him as you was so good to, and here 'tis in my breeches-pocket.--Laws! how things do come round sure_ly:_ why, lookee here now; if so be _you_ hadn't been a good friend to _he, he_ wouldn't be where he is; and if so be _he_ warn't where _he_ is, _he_ couldn't have writ _me_ this here, and then where should _you_ and _I_ be?”

”Belay your jaw and show me this letter,” cried David, trembling all over.

”That I wool,” said Maxley, diving a hand into his pocket. ”Hus.h.!.+ lookee yander now; if there ain't Master Alfred a-watching of us two out of his window: and he have got an eye like a hawk, _he_ have. Step in the pa.s.sage, Captain, and I'll show it to you.”

He drew him aside into the pa.s.sage, and gave him the letter. Dodd ran his eye over it hastily, uttered a cry like a wounded lion, dropped it, gave a slight stagger, and rushed away.

Maxley picked up his letter and watched Dodd into the bank again and reflected on his work. His heart was warmed at having made a return to the good captain.

His head suggested that he was on the road which leads to libel.

But he had picked up at the a.s.sizes a smattering of the law of evidence; so he coolly tore the letter in pieces. ”There now,” said he to himself, ”if Hardies do laa me for publis.h.i.+ng of this here letter, why they pours their water into a sieve. Ugh!” And with this exclamation he started, and then put his heavy boot on part of the letter, and ground it furtively into the mud; for a light hand had settled on his shoulder, and a keen young face was close to his.

It was Alfred Hardie, who had stolen on him like a cat. ”I'm laad,”

thought Maxley.

”Maxley, old fellow,” said Alfred, in a voice as coaxing as a woman's, ”are you in a good humour?”

”Well, Master, Halfred, sight of you mostly puts me in one, especially after that there strychnine job.”

”Then tell me,” whispered Alfred, his eyes sparkling and his face beaming, ”who was that you were talking to just now? Was it?--wasn't it?--who was it?”

CHAPTER XVIII

WHILE Dodd stood lowering in the doorway, he was nevertheless making a great effort to control his agitation.

At last he said in a stern but low voice, in which, however, a quick ear might detect a tremor of agitation: ”I have changed my mind, sir: I want my money back.”

At this, though David's face had prepared him, Mr. Hardie's heart sank: but there was no help for it. He said faintly, ”Certainly. May I ask----?” and there he stopped; for it was hardly prudent to ask anything.

”No matter,” replied Dodd, his agitation rising even at this slight delay. ”Come! my money! I must and will have it.”

Hardie drew himself up majestically. ”Captain Dodd, this is a strange way of demanding what n.o.body here disputes.”