Part 25 (1/2)
”Stoppin' here, I s'pose?”
”Yes. He's bin here for some time, but goes away soon--now that he's better. It was him as saved my life--at least him and Mr Aspel, you know.”
”No, I don't know, Tot. Let's hear all about it,” replied Mr Bones, with a look of unwonted gravity.
Tottie went off at once into a glowing account of the fire and the rescue, to which her father listened with profound attention, not unmingled with surprise. Then he reverted to the aspect of the surrounding country.
”It's a pretty place you live in here, Tot, an' a nice house. It's there the lady lives, I suppose who has the strange fancy to keep her wealth in a box on the sideboard? Well, it _is_ curious, but there's no accountin' for the fancies o' the rich, Tot. An' you say she keeps no men-servants about her? Well, that's wise, for men are dangerous characters for women to 'ave about 'em. She's quite right. There's a dear little dog too, she keeps, I'm told. Is that the only one she owns?”
”Yes, it's the only one, and such a darlin' it is, and _so_ fond of me!”
exclaimed Tottie.
”Ah, yes, wery small, but wery noisy an' vicious,” remarked Mr Bones, with a sudden scowl, which fortunately his daughter did not see.
”O no, father; little Floppart ain't vicious, though it _is_ awful noisy w'en it chooses.”
”Well, Tot, I'd give a good deal to see that dear little Floppart, and make friends with it. D'you think you could manage to get it to follow you here?”
”Oh, easily. I'll run an' fetch it; but p'r'aps you had better come to the house. I know they'd like to see you, for they're _so_ kind to me.”
Mr Bones laughed sarcastically, and expressed his belief that they wouldn't like to see him at all.
Just at that moment Miss Stivergill came round the turn of the lane and confronted them.
”Well, little Bones, whom have you here?” asked the lady, with a stern look at Mr Bones.
”Please, ma'am, it's father. He 'appened to be in this neighbourhood, and came to see me.”
”Your father!” exclaimed Miss Stivergill, with a look of surprise.
”Indeed!”
”Yes, ma'am,” said Bones, politely taking off his hat and looking her coolly in the face. ”I 'ope it's no offence, but I came a bit out o' my way to see 'er. She says you've bin' wery kind to her.”
”Well, she says the truth. I mean to be kind to her,” returned Miss Stivergill, as sternly as before.--”Take your father to the cottage, child, and tell them to give him a gla.s.s of beer. If you see Miss Lillycrop, tell her I've gone to the village, and won't be back for an hour.” So saying, Miss Stivergill walked down the lane with masculine strides, leaving Tottie pleased, and her father smiling.
”I don't want no beer, Tot,” said the latter. ”But you go to the cottage and fetch me that dear little dog. I want to see it; and don't forget the lady's message to Miss Lillycrop--but be sure you don't say I'm waitin' for you. Don't mention me to n.o.body. D'ee understand?”
Poor Tottie, with a slight and undefined misgiving at her heart, professed to understand, and went off.
In a few minutes she returned with the little dog--a lively poodle-- which at first showed violent and unmistakable objections to being friendly with Mr Bones. But a sc.r.a.p of meat, which that worthy had brought in his pocket, and a few soothing words, soon modified the objection.
Presently Mr Bones pulled a small muzzle from his pocket.
”D'you think, now, that Floppart would let you put it on 'er, Tot?”
Tot was sure she would, and soon had the muzzle on.
”That's right; now, hold 'er fast a moment--just a--there--!”
He sprang at and caught the dog by the throat, choked a snarling yelp in the bud, and held it fast.