Part 8 (2/2)

”Did she, miss? Then perhaps you'll prove it. She never paid me; nor more she didn't Betsy. There's three months owing to you, isn't there, Betsy?”

”That there is.”

”And so there is to you, isn't there, Harris?”

”Well--I don't know that it's quite three months.”

”Why, you told me yourself as how it was.”

Harris tilted his hat on one side and scratched his head as if to jog his memory.

”Well--it might be.”

At this d.i.c.k fired up.

”It's all a pack of lies! I'm sure that my mother paid you your wages as they fell due, and that you're trying to cheat us.”

Then it was cook's turn.

”Don't you talk to me like that, not if you do call yourself a young gentleman. And I'll learn you to know that a woman of my age is not going to be called a cheat by a young lad like you. You ought to be ashamed of yourself, that's what you ought to be, standing there disgracing of yourself.”

The Ogre held up his hand, as if to play the part of peacemaker.

”Gently, cook, gently. You leave it to me and I will see that you have what is due to you. We must remember how ignorant these young people are of their position, and try to make allowances. Though I grant that under the circ.u.mstances it's a little difficult.” He put his hands into his trouser pockets, tilted back the chair on which he was seated, and considered the ceiling. ”What I intend to do is this. At Miss Molly's request I have, reluctantly, incurred certain liabilities and a.s.sumed certain responsibilities. To know exactly what those responsibilities are it is necessary that I should examine thoroughly the condition of affairs. When I have done so--it cannot, I am sorry to say, be done in a moment--I will lay the results before the more responsible members of the family--if there are any such--and without waiting for the thanks which I possibly shall not receive I will at once withdraw.”

Such a prospect did not commend itself to me at all. That we were already being cheated all round I was sure. That we ran a great risk of being cheated to a much more serious extent if the Ogre was allowed to do as he suggested I felt equally convinced. And in any case I did not want his interference in our private affairs. It was dreadful to think of him peering and prying into mother's secrets, into the things which she held sacred. The way he was behaving now showed how much we could trust him and what use he would make of any knowledge he might acquire. Instead of being our friend he would be our bitterest enemy.

And yet I did not see how we were going to get rid of him without a desperate struggle--of which, after all, we might get the worst.

But I was not going to let him see that I was afraid of him.

”Where is the money which was in mother's desk?”

”Money? What money?”

”Mother always kept a large sum of money in her desk. You have had access to her desk, though you'd no right to touch it. How much was there? and where is it now?”

”I've seen no money.”

”Why, it is with mother's money that you have been paying for everything.”

”I wish it had been. I've been paying for every blessed thing out of my own pocket.”

”That's a lie!” shouted d.i.c.k. ”I know there was money in her desk.”

”Look here, my lad--if you'll excuse my calling you my lad--the next time you speak to me like that I'll make you smart for it. Now, don't you expect another warning.”

”That's right,” cried cook. ”You give him a good sound thras.h.i.+ng, Mr Miller. He wants it. Accusing everyone of robbing him, when it's him who's trying to rob everybody!”

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