Innocent : her fancy and his fact Part 19

He broke off suddenly and stared in front of him with strange fixed eyeb.a.l.l.s.

Innocent and Priscilla looked at one another in alarm. There was a moment's tense stillness,--then Innocent said in rather a trembling voice--

"Yes, Dad? You were saying something about Landon--"

The stony glare faded from his eyes and he looked at her with a more natural expression.

"Landon? Did I speak of him? Oh yes!--Landon met with some fellows he knew and decided to spend the evening with them--he asked me for a night off--and I gave it to him. Yes--I--I gave it to him."

Just then Robin entered.

"Hullo!" he exclaimed, gaily--"At supper? Don't begin without me! I say, Uncle, is Landon coming back to-night?"

Jocelyn turned upon him sharply.

"No!" he answered, in so fierce a tone that Robin stood amazed--"Why do you all keep on asking me about Landon? He loves drink more than life, and he's having all he wants to-night. I've let him off work to-morrow."

Robin was silent for a moment out of sheer surprise.

"Oh well, that's all right, if you don't mind," he said, at last--"We're pretty busy--but I daresay we can manage without him."

"I should think so!" and Hugo gave a short laugh of scorn--"Briar Farm would have come to a pretty pa.s.s if it could not get on without a man like Landon!"

There was another silent pause.

Priscilla gave an anxious side-glance at Innocent's troubled face, and decided to relieve the tension by useful commonplace talk.

"Well, Landon or no Landon, supper's ready!" she said, briskly--"and it's been waiting an hour at least. Say grace, Mister Jocelyn, and I'll carve!"

Jocelyn looked at her bewilderedly.

"Say grace?" he queried--"what for?"

Priscilla laughed loudly to cover the surprise she felt.

"What for? Lor, Mister Jocelyn, if you don't know I'm sure I don't! For the beef and potatoes, I suppose, an' all the stuff we eats--'for what we are going to receive--'"

"Ah, yes! I remember--'May the Lord make us truly thankful!'" responded Jocelyn, closing his eyes for a second and then opening them again--"And I'll tell you what, Priscilla!--there's a deal more to be thankful for to-night than beef and potatoes!--a great deal more!"

CHAPTER VII

The supper was a very silent meal. Old Hugo was evidently not inclined to converse,--he ate his food quickly, almost ravenously, without seeming to be conscious that he was eating. Robin Clifford glanced at him now and again watchfully, and with some anxiety,--an uncomfortable idea that there was something wrong somewhere worried him,--moreover he was troubled by the latent feeling that presently his uncle would be sure to ask if all was "settled" between himself and Innocent.

Strangely enough, however, the old man made no allusion to the subject.

He seemed to have forgotten it, though it had been the chief matter on which he had laid so much stress that morning. Each minute Innocent expected him to turn upon her with the dreaded question--to which she would have had to reply untruly, according to the plan made between herself and Robin. But to her great surprise and relief he said nothing that conveyed the least hint of the wish he had so long cherished. He was irritable and drowsy,--now and again his head fell a little forward on his chest and his eyes closed as though in utter weariness. Seeing this, the practical Priscilla made haste to get the supper finished and cleared away.

"You be off to bed, Mister Jocelyn," she said,--"The sooner the better, for you look as tired as a lame dog that 'as limped 'ome twenty miles.

You ain't fit to be racketing about markets an' drivin' bargains."

"Who says I'm not?" he interrupted, sitting bolt upright and glaring fiercely at her--"I tell you I am! I can do business as well as any man--and drive a bargain-ah! I should think so indeed!--a hard-and-fast bargain!--not easy to get out of, I can tell you!--not easy to get out of! And it has cost me a pretty penny, too!"

Robin Clifford glanced at him enquiringly.

"How's that?" he asked--"You generally make rather than spend!"

Jocelyn gave a sudden loud laugh.

"So I do, boy, so I do! But sometimes one has to spend to make! I've done both to-day--I've made and I've spent. And what I've spent is better than keeping it--and what I've made--ay!--what I've made--well!--it's a bargain, and no one can say it isn't a fair one!"

He got up from the supper table and pushed away his chair.

"I'll go," he said--"Priscilla's right--I'm dog-tired and bed's the best place for me." He pa.s.sed his hand over his forehead. "There's a sort of buzzing in my brain like the noise of a cart-wheel--I want rest." As he spoke Innocent came softly beside him and took his arm caressingly. He looked down upon her with a smile. "Yes, wilding, I want rest! We'll have a long talk out tomorrow--you and I and Robin.

Bless thee, child! Good-night!"

He kissed her tenderly and held out one hand to Clifford, who cordially grasped it.

"Good boy!" he said-"Be up early, for there's much to do--and Landon won't be home till late--no--not till late! Get on with the field work--for if the clouds mean anything we shall have rain." He paused a moment and seemed to reflect, then repeated slowly--"Yes, lad! We shall have rain!--and wind, and storm! Be ready!--the fine weather's breaking!"

With that he went, walking slowly, and they heard him stumble once or twice as he went up the broad oak staircase to his bedroom. Priscilla put her head on one side, like a meditative crow, and listened. Then she heaved a sigh, smoothed down her ap.r.o.n and rolled up her eyes.

"Well, if Mister Jocelyn worn't as sober a man as any judge an' jury,"

she observed--"I should say 'e'd bin drinkin'! But that ain't it. Mr.

Robin, there's somethin' gone wrong with 'im--an' I don't like it."

"Nor I," said Innocent, in a trembling voice, suggestive of tears. "Oh, Robin, you surely noticed how strange he looked! I'm so afraid! I feel as if something dreadful was going to happen--"

"Nonsense!" and Robin a.s.sumed an air of indifference which he was far from feeling--"Uncle Hugo is tired--I think he has been put out--you know he's quick-tempered and easily irritated--he may have had some annoyance in the town--"

"Ah! And where's Landon?" put in Priscilla, with a dark nod--"That do beat me! Why ever the master should 'ave let a man like that go on the loose for a night an' a day is more than I can make out! It's sort of tempting Providence--that it is!"

Clifford flushed and turned aside. His fight with Landon was fresh in his mind--and he began to wonder whether he had done rightly in telling his uncle how it came about. But meeting Innocent's anxious eyes, which mutely asked him for comfort, he answered--

"Oh, well, there's nothing very much in that, Priscilla! I daresay Landon wanted a holiday--he doesn't ask for one often, and he's kept fairly sober lately. Hadn't we better be off to bed? Things will straighten out with the morning."

"Do you really think so?" Innocent sighed as she put the question.

"Of course I think so!" answered Robin, cheerily. "We're all tired, and can't look on the bright side! Sound sleep is the best cure for the blues! Good-night, Innocent!"

"Good-night!" she said, gently.

"Good-night, Priscilla!"

"Good-night, Mr. Robin. G.o.d bless ye!"

He smiled, nodded kindly to them both, and left the room.

"There's a man for ye!" murmured Priscilla, admiringly, as he disappeared--"A tower of strength for a 'usband, which the Lord knows is rare! Lovey, you'll never do better!"