Chapter 30

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_ CHAPTER THIRTY.

"Now, sir, have you any more to say?"

A simple enough question, but when spoken to me sternly before those present, in my uncle's fierce, military voice, and accompanied by looks that seemed crushing in their contempt, they were very hard to bear in that strange silence which followed.

There they all stood and sat about me, while I felt like a prisoner at the bar before my judge. It was terrible, and I wavered.

Should I speak, and accuse poor, weak, amiable Tom Mercer, and send him away in disgrace, or should I suffer now, and wait till the truth came out by and by?

I was deciding on the latter, when I heard a sob which seemed to echo in my throat, and I looked up quickly from where my eyes had rested on a particular spot in the pattern of the library carpet, to see my mother's convulsed face and yearning eyes fixed upon me, as Mrs Doctor stood by her side, holding her hand quite affectionately.

That look decided me.

"Poor Tom," I said to myself, "I must throw you over for her sake;" and my lips parted to speak, when my uncle checked me by his stern, harsh voice.

"Silent! The silence of guilt!" he cried bitterly. "I have--"

"Stop a moment, Seaborough," cried the General. "Let me have a word, for poor dead Burr's sake. Frank, boy, I've always liked you, and believed in you, as the bright, manly son of a dear dead friend. Don't let me go away feeling that I can never trust any one again. I won't believe it--I can't believe it--that the blood and breed in your young veins would let you stoop to be a miserable, contemptible thief, and for the sake of a paltry silver watch. Why, my dear boy, you must have known that, as soon as you were old enough to want a watch, you could have had a gold one of the very best. Why, hang it all, sir, for your father's and mother's sake, I'd have hung you all over watches. Come now, speak out before us all like a man, and tell us what all this mystery means. Tell us that you did not steal this watch."

"Why, of course he didn't!" cried a familiar voice, and as I started round at these hopeful words, which seemed to give me life, I saw Cook busily tying the strings of her best cap, the one my mother had sent her, before untying and snatching off her apron, as if she had come to the library in such a hurry that she had not had time to prepare.

"Cook!" exclaimed Mrs Doctor sternly.

"Oh, yes, ma'am, I know," cried Cook defiantly, as she reached back and caught somebody's arm just outside the door. "Here, you come in, Polly 'Opley; there's nothing to be ashamed of, my dear. You come in."

Polly Hopley, dressed in her best, suffered herself to be dragged in, and then, after whispering, "Do adone, do, Cook," began to make bobs and courtesies to everybody in turn.

"Er--rum!" coughed the Doctor. "My good woman," he cried severely, "what is the meaning of this intrusion?"

"You may call it what you like, sir," cried Cook sharply; "and you too, mum," she continued, turning to Mrs Doctor, "and give me my month, or distant ismissal if you like."

Cook meant to say, "instant dismissal," but she was excited, and, giving a defiant look round, she went on,--

"I don't care, and I says it's a shame, not alone to keep the poor boy locked up like a prisoner, and badly fed, as does a growing boy no end of harm; and I will say it, mum," she continued, turning to my mother, "as dear and good a boy as ever came into this school, but to go and say he was a thief, as he couldn't be, sir. You look in his eyes and see."

This to the Doctor, who coughed again.

"My good woman, I must insist upon you leaving the room."

"A moment, Doctor," cried my uncle eagerly; "this person seems to know something. Stop!"

"I wasn't a-going, sir," said Cook sharply, "not till I've spoke out what I've come to say."

"Then, for goodness' sake, speak, woman, and go," cried the Doctor angrily. "We are engaged."

"Which well I know it, sir, and I'm going to speak," said Cook, with dignity; "and if I'd known before Polly 'Opley--your keeper's wife's daughter, Sir Orkus," she continued, turning to the General.

"Oh yes, yes, yes, I knew Polly when she was a baby," said the old gentleman, nodding at the girl, who courtesied to him; "but if you know anything about this--this terrible affair, speak out."

"Which I will, sir, and if I lose my place, and you do happen to want a good plain--"

"Cook, Cook, pray speak out," cried Mrs Doctor.

"Which I'm trying to, ma'am, only you all flurry me so. You see I knowed as Master Burr was shut up, something about some trouble or scrape--as boys will be boys, and always was, but being busy in my kidgen, and plenty to do, and the young gentlemen all forbid to say what it was about, so as I never knowed till this morning, when Polly 'Opley comes and tells me all about it, as Mr Lomax goes and tells her father--your keeper, sir--and Polly only this morning, and she never knowed it before, and then came on and told me something as'll make you all ashamed of treating a poor boy like that."

"Yes, yes, yes," said my uncle impatiently; "but do you know anything about the watch?"

"Which I'm telling you, sir," cried Cook, "though not a word did I know till Polly 'Opley comes just now, when I see it all as plain as pie-crust, and I says to her, 'Polly,' I says, 'they're all in the libery now, and you shall come and tell 'em the whole truth.'"

"Then you know, Polly, my child?" said the General eagerly.

"Yes, Sir Orkus, please, Sir Orkus," said Polly, blushing.

"Then, then, tell us all at once, there's a good girl."

"Yes, Sir Orkus. Not as I ever encouraged him a bit to come to our cottage."

"Humph!" said the Doctor; "you always bait your trap with sweets to get the boys to come, girl."

"Please, sir, I didn't mean the young gentlemen, I meant Dick Magglin."

"Eh, what?" cried the General.

"Please, Sir Orkus, if I've ordered him away once, I've done it fifty times, and father's threatened him and beat him, but he would come."

"What! did he want to marry you?"

"Yes, Sir Orkus, but I wouldn't demean myself to listen to him."

"Of course not! a poaching vagabond. Go on, go on." Every eye was fixed on Polly, whose cheeks were scarlet, as she gave me a sharp look, full of encouragement.

"Yes, Sir Orkus, and he was always bringing me his rubbish, and wanting me to have it, hankychies, and ribbings, and a gilt brooch, as you could see wasn't gold."

"And you wouldn't take them?"

"No, Sir Orkus, never nothing, and then he said it was because I was too proud, and thought they wasn't good enough for me, and then he didn't come any more till one day when he brought me a silver watch."

A curious murmur ran through the room, and my mother ran to my side and threw her arms about my neck.

"Yes, go on, Polly," said the General, rubbing his hands. "What sort of a watch was it?"

"A little one, sir, with a fancy face and two letters cut in a round spot on the back."

"What letters were they?" said the General.

"A Hee and a B, sir."

"Eliezer Burr," said the Doctor loudly. "Hah!" and he took off his gold-rimmed spectacles, rubbed them, and began to beam.

"Should you--" began my uncle.

"No, no, no, Seaborough; allow me," said the General. "My turn. I was coming to that. Now, Polly, be careful, and don't say anything rash, because this is very serious."

"Oh yes, Sir Orkus."

"Dear me, Doctor," said the General apologetically, "I am sorry we have no h's here."

"Pray go on, Sir Hawkhurst," said the Doctor, smiling, and aspirating both in the name forcibly.

"Now, Polly, should you know that watch?"

"Oh yes, Sir Orkus; both the hands were together at twelve o'clock, and the glass was a bit scratched, and I told him I didn't believe he came by the watch honest, and that if ever he dared to come near the place again to want me to accept his rubbish, I'd take father's gun down out of the slings and give him a charge of shot in his legs."

"Then, Polly, you didn't take the watch?"

"Me, Sir Orkus!" cried Polly indignantly; "I should think not, indeed. I told him to be off, and he went away in a huff."

"In a what?"

"A huff, Sir Orkus, a huff--a passion."

"Oh, I see. And now tell me--be careful. Give me the--the--thank you. Now, Polly, is that anything like the watch?"

"Oh yes, Sir Orkus, that's the very one. If you open it, you'll hear it shuts with a very loud snap."

"So it does," said the General, putting it to the test. "And now, tell me, when was this? You don't recollect?"

"Oh yes, I do, Sir Orkus. It was nex' day after the cricket match, because I was cleaning my best shoes, as I wore at the match, when he come."

"Very good, Polly," said the General, rubbing his hands.

"Excellent!" said my uncle; "but that does not prove the man stole it."

"Why, he must have crept along the ditch behind the tent," I cried involuntarily, "and pushed his arm through. Yes, I know," I said, getting more excited, as my mother's arm tightened about me. "I saw him that evening with his face all stung by nettles."

"That ditch is full of nettles," cried Mr Hasnip.

"Good! good!" cried the General.

"But how came the watch hidden in that bin?" cried my uncle sternly.

"I know," said Cook. "Why, of course, he was afraid to keep it; and it's just like him."

"I do not follow you," said my uncle.

"Why, when he was at work in our garden, my smelling-bottle o' salts was stolen, and when I made a fuss about it, some one found it hid away behind the scullery door, where he put it."

"Then you think this man hid it there?" said my uncle.

"I'm sure of it, sir. Why, didn't I catch him one morning early coming out of the stable, and, 'What are you doing there?' I says. 'Looking for the top of my hoe,' he says, 'as I left here when I was at work. Ain't seen it, have you?' he says. 'No,' I says, 'but I see the gardener just now coming to work, and I'll call him.' 'Never mind, mum,' he says, and he went off, and nobody's seen him about here since. Oh, look there! Poor dear!"

I just saved my mother from falling, and she was helped into a chair, clinging to my hand, though, all the time, as she burst into a hysterical fit of sobbing. But she calmed down after a few minutes, and the gentlemen, who had been talking in a low voice earnestly together, now resumed their places, the Doctor clearing his voice loudly.

"Burr junior," he said in his most magisterial tones, and then he stopped short, coughed again, blew his nose, and was silent.

"Forgive me, gentlemen," he said at last. "This has been a great trouble to me--I feel moved--I have painfully hurt the feelings of a dear, sweet lady, to whom I humbly apologise, and I--I make no favourites here, but I have wrongfully suspected--but on very strong evidence, gentlemen," he said, with an appealing look round; "and you agreed with me, Mr Rebble--Mr Hasnip?"

"Yes, sir. Yes, sir," they murmured.

"Wrongfully suspected a boy to whom my wife and I were warmly attached. Burr junior--I--er--Frank, my boy, come here!"

I went up to him, flushed now and trembling.

"Shake hands, my boy," said the old man, "and thank God with me that the truth has at last prevailed. But tell me, Burr, we do not know all yet. You have been very reticent. You denied the charge stoutly, but your manner always impressed us with the belief that you knew more. Now let us clear up this sad business once for all. You will speak out now, will you not?"

"Yes, sir," I said huskily, and my cheeks burned with shame as I glanced at Mercer, who was now making horrible grimaces at me to indicate his joy.

"Then there was something?"

"Yes, sir," I said, and I glanced at my mother, whose face was now pale with fresh alarm. "Dicksee did see me find the watch there and hide it again."

"Yes; go on."

"Ever since Burr major had that watch, Mercer longed for it, and he was always talking about it, and wishing he had one."

"Well, I couldn't help that, Frank," cried Mercer; "but of course I wouldn't have taken it."

"No, Tom," I said, with a gulp, and my voice changing in spite of my efforts to be firm, and, a thorough schoolboy and companion once more, I blundered out, "but I was such a beast, I thought you had stolen it, and I wouldn't speak to save myself for fear you should be expelled."

"Oh!" cried Mercer in the midst of the silence which now fell.

Then, drawing a long breath, he went on,--

"You thought I took it and hid it?"

"Yes, Tom."

"Oh, I say, Frank, when it was all at the worst, and you were locked up, I never thought a word against you; but--" He paused for a moment, and then, forgetting that we were not alone, he rushed at me and caught my hands.

"Then you forgive me?" I said.

"Why, of course," he cried. "Oh, Frank, I am glad!"

The Doctor coughed loudly, and our action seemed to have given the gentlemen present colds. Then the Doctor signed to his wife, whispered to her, and she left the room with Cook and Polly Hopley. Next he signed to Mr Rebble and Mr Hasnip, who both came and shook hands with me, bowed to the General and my uncle, and they too left the room, with Burr major and Dicksee.

"Mercer," said the Doctor then.

"No, no," cried the General; "let him stop. Come here, sir: over here."

The General spoke in so severe a voice, and frowned so much, that Mercer looked at him shrinkingly, and the harder as the old man brought his hand down heavily upon his shoulder--Tom's face seeming to say, "What have I done now?"

"So, sir, you have been longing for a watch all this time, have you, eh?"

"Yes, Sir Hawkhurst," said Tom slowly. Then, with animation, "But I did always try very hard not to want one."

"Then you shall have one, as good a one as money can buy."

Mercer's face was a picture of astonishment, changing to doubt and then to delight as he fully realised that the General meant it.

"Do you hear, Frank? Oh, I say!" Then, catching the old man's hand in both of his; he cried, "May I have a hunter?"

"You shall, my boy. And Frank Burr, you shall have one too."

"No," said my uncle, "that's my present. Frank, my lad, we've all been wrong; but I can't apologise, for you led us astray."

"Oh, that's enough, Seaborough," cried the General. "The boys don't want to hear another word. Eh?--you were going to speak, Doctor."

"Only a few words, sir. Colonel Seaborough, Mrs Burr, I cannot tell you how grieved I am for this painful episode--believe me."

My mother went to the Doctor and placed her hand in his.

"Pray say no more," she said gently.

"I will not, my dear madam, for your looks tell me that I am forgiven for my share of the mental agony I have caused you.--Of course, you will take your son away and place him in another school?"

"Eh? What for?" said the General sharply. "You don't want him to go, do you, stuffy boy?"

"Oh no, sir," cried Mercer.

"Do you want to go, Frank?"

"No, sir," I said eagerly; "I should like to stay."

"Of course," cried the General. "He's to stop, eh, Seaborough?"

"I should regret it, if he left," said my uncle.

"To be sure you would, and I should miss him. Don't expel him, Doctor."

"I? I should only be too glad if he stays."

"Then that's all right," said the General. "Ah, here is Mrs Brown."

He crossed to place a chair for her, and then stood looking from one to the other.

"Yes," he said, "that's it. Ladies, will you honour a solitary old man with your company to dinner at my place this evening? Doctor, will you bring your wife? Seaborough and Mrs Burr, pray come over with me now, and, if the Doctor does not mind, I should like to take these two boys back with us."

Consent was given directly, and the rest of that day was spent in a manner which made me pretty well forget the troubles which had gone before. _

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