Part 33 (2/2)
”I'm a stranger,” I said, ”and I used to know young Roger Trewinion; can you tell me anything about him?”
”Knaw young Maaster Roger, did 'ee?” cried Bill, ”why he was a friend to me; ain't 'ee 'eard un spaik of Bill Tregargus?”
”Bill Tregargus?” I said; ”many a time! why, did you not go out with him one night and rescue a young lady whose s.h.i.+p was wrecked upon a great rock?”
”Why, iss,” said Bill excitedly, ”ded a ever tell 'ee 'bout that?”
”How should I know it else?” I said; ”but now I want to know about him and the family.”
He took me away from the people by a pathway that led through a meadow.
”You was a friend of Maaster Roger's,” said Bill, ”zo I can tell 'ee.
He's dead, and there's been foul play.”
”Foul play? How?”
”It's my belief 'ow 'e've bin murdered, zur.”
”Murdered! Why should you think that?”
”When did you knaw Maaster Roger, sur?”
”Oh, twelve years ago, just before he came of age, I think.”
”Well, sur, ther've bin awful doin's up at th' House since then, things, sur, as I'm amooast 'fraid to tell 'ee, 'cause----”
Then a frightened look came into Bill's eyes, and he looked round nervously.
CHAPTER XVII
REVENGE!
”You doan't belong to this neighbourhood, do 'ee?” said Bill, at length.
”I have not been in England for years,” was my reply.
”Well, sur, I'll tell 'ee oal about it. Perhaps you knaw that the young lady who was saved was stayin' at the house?”
”Yes, I've heard of it. Miss Morton was her name, wasn't it?”
”Iss, that's it. Well, Maaster Roger and Maaster Wilfred was boath in love wi' her; and Maaster Wilfred he stood the best chance 'cause Mrs.
Trewinion dedn't like Roger, and she amoast wors.h.i.+pped Wilfred. Of course, we doan't know all about it, but we've heerd as 'ow there was somethin' in Squire Morton's will which made Miss Ruth marry the Squire of Trewinion. Anyhow the ou'll squire got killed, and jist after that, altho' Maaster Roger wur maaster of everything, he runned away and left Wilfred to be the squire. Of course, everybody wondered at that, and grieved too, for Maaster Roger wur a fav'rit' with us all. Then we heerd from the sarvents that Mrs. Trewinion and Maaster Wilfred had worked it out. She had tould Miss Ruth that young Roger had been boasting that she would 'ave to marry him, although 'ee didn't care anything 'bout 'er, and we heerd as 'ow she tould Maaster Roger that Miss Ruth loved his brother, but couldn't marry him 'cause he was in the way, and that the thought of marryin' him, that is Maaster Roger, was drivin' her mad. We doan't knaw 'bout oal these things, sur, but anyhow, Maaster Roger was missin' dreckly after his father's funerl, and hev never bin seed alive since. Well, after he was gone, Miss Ruth nearly broke her heart. You never see such a pale thing as she went to.”
”But I think I heard that she liked Wilfred best; at least, Roger told me so.”
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