It Is Never Too Late to Mend Part 102

"The wretches!"

"No! you don't see--they thought he had betrayed them."

"But, of course, you undeceived them," said Robinson.

"No! I didn't. Why, you precious greenhorn, was that our game?"

"Well, sir," cried Robinson cheerfully, "any way it was a good night's work. The only thing vexes me," added he, with an intense air of mortification, "is that the worst scoundrel of the lot got clear off; that is a pity--a downright pity."

"Make your mind easy," replied Mr. Miles calmly, "he won't escape; we shall have him before the day is out."

"Will you, sir? that is right--but how?"

"The honorable thingumbob, Tom Yates's friend, put us up to it. We sent the pair down to Sydney in the break and we put Yates's groom (he is a ticket-of-leave) in with them, and a bottle of brandy, and he is to condole with them and have a guinea if they let out the third man's name, and they will--for they are bitter against him."

Robinson sighed. "What is the matter?" said his master, trying to twist his head round.

"Nothing! only I am afraid they--they won't split; fellows of that sort don't split on a comrade where they can get no good by it."

"Well, if they don't, still we shall have him. One of us saw his face."

"Ah!"

"It was the honorable--the knave of trumps. While Yates was getting the arms, Trumps slipped out by the garden gate and caught a glimpse of our friend; he saw him take the lantern up and fling it down and run. The light fell full on his face and he could swear to it out of a thousand.

So the net is round our friend and we shall have him before the day is out."

"Dring-a-dong-dring" (a ring at the bell).

"Have you done, Tom?"

"Just one more turn, sir."

"Then, Jenny, you see who that is?"

Jenny went and returned with an embossed card, "It is a young gentleman--mustache and lavender gloves; oh, such a buck!"

"Who can it be? the 'Honorable George Lascelles?' why that is the very man. I remember he said he would do himself the honor to call on me.

That is the knave of trumps; go down directly, Robinson, and tell him I'm at home and bring him up."

"Yes, sir!"

"Yes, sir! Well, then, why don't you go!"

"Um! perhaps Jenny will go while I clear these things away;" and without waiting for an answer Robinson hastened to enc.u.mber himself with the tea-tray, and flung the loaf and curling-irons into it, and bustled about and showed a sudden zeal lest this bachelor's room should appear in disorder; and as Jenny mounted the front stairs followed by the sprig of n.o.bility, he plunged heavily laden down the back stairs into the kitchen and off with his coat and cleaned knives like a mad thing.

"Oh! if I had but a pound in my pocket," thought he, "I would not stay another hour in Sydney. I'd get my ring and run for Bathurst and never look behind me. How comfortable and happy I was until I fell back into the old courses, and now see what a life mine has been ever since! What a twelve hours! hunted like a wild beast, suspected and watched by my fellow-servant and forced to hide my thoughts from this one and my face from that one; but I deserve it and I wish it was ten times as bad. Oh!

you fool--you idiot--you brute--it is not the half of what you deserve.

I ask but one thing of Heaven--that his reverence may never know; don't let me break that good man's heart; I'd much rather die before the day is out!"

At this moment Jenny came in. Robinson cleaned the poor knives harder still and did not speak; his cue was to find out what was pa.s.sing in the girl's mind. But she washed her cup and saucer and plates in silence.

Presently the bell rang.

"Tom!" said Jenny quietly.

"Would you mind going, Jenny?"

"Me! it is not my business."

"No, Jenny! but once in a way if you will be so kind."

"Once! why I have been twice to the door for you to-day. You to your place and I to mine. Shan't go!"

"Look at me with my coat off and covered with brickdust."

"Put your coat on and shake the dust off."

"Oh, Jenny! that is not like you to refuse me such a trifle. I would not disoblige you so."

"I didn't refuse," said Jenny, making for the door; "I only said 'no'

once or twice--_we_ don't call that refusing;" but as she went out of the door she turned sharp as if to catch Robinson's face off its guard; and her gray eye dwelt on him with one of those demure, inexplicable looks her s.e.x can give all _ab extra_--seeing all, revealing nothing.

She returned with her face on fire. "That is what I get for taking your place!"

"What is the matter?"

"That impudent young villain wanted to kiss me."

"Oh! is that all?"

"No! it is not all; he said I was the prettiest girl in Sydney" (with an appearance of rising indignation).

"Well! but, Jenny, that is no news, I could have told him that."

"Then why did you never tell me?"

"I thought by your manner--you knew it."

Having tried to propitiate the foe thus, Robinson lost no more time, but went upstairs and asked Mr. Miles for the trifle due to him as wages.

Mr. Miles was very sorry, but he had been cleaned out at his friend Yates's--had not a s.h.i.+lling left and no hopes of any for a fortnight to come.

"Then, sir," said Robinson doggedly, "I hope you will allow me to go into the town and try and make a little for myself, just enough to pay my traveling expenses.

"By all means," was the reply; "tell me if you succeed--and I'll borrow a sovereign of you."

Out went Robinson into the town of Sydney. He got into a respectable street, and knocked at a good house with a green door. He introduced himself to the owner as a first-rate painter and engrainer, and offered to turn this door into a mahogany, walnut, oak or what-not door. "The house is beautiful, all but the door," said sly Tom; "it is blistered."

"I am quite content with it as it is," was the reply in a rude, supercilious tone.