Sawn Off Part 4

"Make a deal o' fuss at the Manor 'bout her ladys.h.i.+p's roses; but they ain't nowt to yourn."

"Indeed!"

"Nowt, miss. You see that this guaney jooce as I waters 'em with is reg'lar hessence, and I saves it up. Seven gard'ners, 'cloodin' a boy, they keeps there; but they can't touch us in roses, miss."

_Chod_!

"What's that?" said Veronica, looking up as a peculiar sound struck her ear.

_Chud_! Then _chad_! and directly after, _chod_!

Thomas was kneeling bolt upright now, and took off his very shabby cap, and began from habit to scratch his head with the blunt point of the old weed knife.

"Don't you hear, Thomas?" cried Veronica, keeping a rose grub in suspense between her finger and thumb; and as she spoke the sounds came at regular intervals.

"Ay, miss: sounds like some 'un a choppin' 'ard."

"Ah!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Veronica, as she caught sight of a couple of men through an opening in the shrubbery at the bottom of the lawn, and she ran to where her father was busily writing down a note, speaking aloud as he went on.

"In the half-ruined capsule--"

"Papa!"

"One moment, my dear. `The sun causes the outer covering to contract, and a.s.sume the form of a s.h.i.+ny and--'"

"Papa, they're cutting down those beautiful old trees."

"What!" cried the Doctor, turning in the direction of the clump. "Oh no; it must be a mistake."

_Chod_! A tremendous chop.

"By Gladstone!" he roared; and, thrusting his book into his pocket, he ran down the lawn, and, leaping the hedge, pa.s.sed through to the open, furzy piece of land, where, full in view now, two men were plying their woodmen's axes rapidly, and making the white chips fly as a ghastly notch began to appear in the side of one of the outer trees.

"Hi! what are you doing?" roared the Doctor, just as Veronica reached the bottom and looked over.

The two men stopped, and rested the heads of their axes on the ground as they grinned.

"Cuttin' down the trees, sir," said one of the men.

"What! By whose orders?"

"Lords.h.i.+p's, sir. Sent us up, and he's comin' hisself soon."

"Do you mean to say that his lords.h.i.+p gave orders for this beautiful clump of trees to be cut down?"

"Yes, sir."

"But it will disfigure the estate horribly."

"Well, sir, my mate and the head gardener said as it were a pity."

"Oh, it's a mistake, man. You are cutting down the wrong trees."

"Nay, sir; these here's right. Lords.h.i.+p said bottom o' the Sandleighs garden. Can't be no mistake about that."

"Then it's an insult to me," said the Doctor furiously; "and it shall not be done. Here, come away directly."

The men looked at one another, and smiled uneasily.

"Do you hear? I say it shall not be done."

"But his lords.h.i.+p said--"

"Something his lords.h.i.+p!" roared the Doctor. "You strike a blow, either of you, again on one of those trees, and I'll strike you. There!"

"Papa!" cried Veronica from the garden; but the Doctor was too angry to hear that or anything else.

"Beg pardon, sir, here is his lords.h.i.+p," whispered one of the men; and Lord Pinemount came cantering up over the short turf and furze.

"Here, what's the meaning of this?" he cried. "Why are you not going on with your work? Two of these trees ought to be down by now. Who is this man?"

He had so far ignored the Doctor; and as Veronica saw the impending collision she tried to get through the hedge, but stuck fast.

The Doctor flushed, but spoke very quietly, as he raised his hat.

"Lord Pinemount, I believe?" he said.

"Yes," said Lord Pinemount. "Who the devil are you? How dare you trespa.s.s on my grounds and delay my workpeople?"

The Doctor's lips worked under his stiff beard, and he could not speak for a moment.

"Do you hear me, sir? Be off!" cried his lords.h.i.+p, who was pale with rage. "You men get on with your job."

The men touched their hats, spat in their hands, and swung up their axes; and Veronica saw things through a mist, but started as much as Lord Pinemount did, for the Doctor roared, in a voice of thunder,--

"Stop!"

And the men stopped.

"How dare you!" cried his lords.h.i.+p, white now with fury. "What the devil do you mean? Of all the insolence! Go on, men, at once; and as for you, sir, I have already instructed the police for your destruction of my property. Now I shall proceed against you for trespa.s.s."

"Stop!" roared the Doctor again, as the men swung up their axes; and Veronica turned cold, and felt as if her delightful love-dream was at an end.

Lord Pinemount dragged his horse's head round, and rode closer to the Doctor.

"What do you mean, fellow?" he roared.

"Have the goodness to recollect that you are addressing a gentleman.