The New Mistress Part 37

"I say, Hazy, must I go?" said the lad, wiping the perspiration from his forehead.

"Yes: come along and be brave and respectful. Let Mr Burge see that you are truly sorry, and I think he will try and see your employers, and make some arrangement."

"What--so that there shall be no police bother?" he asked eagerly.

"Yes, I hope so."

"I couldn't stand that, Hazy; I couldn't indeed. I should go and enlist or jump off a bridge, or something of the kind."

"Don't be foolish, Percy, but try and meet the difficulty like a man."

"Yes," he said, "I will. But stop a moment. I say, is my collar all right? Those children have been tumbling me."

"Yes, it looks quite right."

"And--must I go upstairs and brush my hair?"

"No, no; it looks quite smooth. Now, come--be brave and face it as you should."

"Oh yes, it's all very well for you, who haven't got it to do," he replied. "You can't think what it is."

"Yes, Percy, I can; and it makes me say to you: Why expose yourself to such bitter humiliation? Would it not have been better to be able to hold up your head before all the world and to say: I am poor, and occupy a very menial position, but I am a gentleman?"

"Yes, Hazel is quite right my dear," said Mrs Thorne. "It is what I always say to her: Never forget that you are a lady; and I am glad to find that she does not forget my teachings."

"I'll come now," said Percy. "I--I think I'm ready;" and, clinging to his sister's hand, he went with her into the room where Mr William Forth Burge was seated behind his book, with his pencil across his mouth, as if it had been a bit to bridle his tongue from uttering that which he had wished to say. He was trying to look very stern, but an admiring glance shot from his eyes as Hazel closed the door after her and then said simply:

"This is my brother, Mr Burge."

There was a few moments' pause, during which Percy, after a quick look at the great man of Plumton, stood there humbled and abashed, for the knowledge of his position completely took away his natural effrontery, and seemed to have made him ten years younger than he was. A flash of resentment came for a moment, and made his eyes brighten and his cheek colour on hearing their visitor's salutation, but they both died out directly, for all Percy Thorne's spirit seemed to have evaporated now.

"Well, sir," cried Mr William Forth Burge fiercely, for here was an opportunity for crowing over a lad who was a very different sort of boy to what he had been. He had never meddled with moneys entrusted to him, and had been content to plod and plod slowly and surely till he had made himself what he was. This boy--Percy Thorne--had tried to make himself rich by one or two bold strokes--by gambling, in fact, and this was a chance; so "Well, sir," he cried, "and what have you got to say for yourself?"

Percy looked up and looked down, for it was evident he had nothing to say for himself, and he ended by gazing appealingly at his sister, his lips moving as if saying: "Speak a word for me! Please do."

Mr William Forth Burge could be sharp enough as a business-man, simple as he was in some other matters, and he noted Percy's glance, and softly rubbed his hands beneath the table as he rejoiced in the fact that he had been called in to help Hazel in this family matter. Then, seizing upon the opportunity of showing where he could be shrewd and strong, he said quietly:

"I think, Miss Thorne, you had better leave us together for a few minutes, and well see what can be done."

Hazel hesitated for a moment, and then, in spite of an appeal from her brother, walked to the door, turning then to direct a glance at her visitor which completely finished the work that her eyes had unconsciously already done, and for a few moments after she had gone the ex-tradesman sat with his gaze fixed upon the table, completely unnerved and unable to trust himself to speak.

He soon recovered, though, and turned sharply to where the tall, thin boy stood, miserable and humiliated, resting first on one foot and then on the other, and after staring him completely out of countenance for a few moments, he showed himself in quite a new character, and gave some inkling of how it was that he had been so successful in his trade.

"Now, young fellow," he said sharply, "I know all about it, and what a scamp you have been."

Percy blushed again, and raised his head to make an angry retort.

"Well, scoundrel, then, or blackguard, if that other name isn't strong enough for you."

"How dare"--began Percy, scarlet.

"Eh? What? How dare I? Well, I'll tell you, boy. It's because I'm an honest man, and you ain't. There: you can't get over that."

Percy could not get over that. The shot completely dismantled at one blow the whole of his fortifications, and left him at his enemy's mercy.

Giving up on the instant he whimpered pitifully--

"Please don't be hard on me, sir; I have been a scoundrel, but if you-- you--could give me another chance--"

Boy prevailed, and all Percy Thorne's manliness went to the winds. He was very young yet in spite of his size, and, try how he would to keep them back, the weak tears came, and he could not say another word.

"Give you another chance, eh?" said the visitor sharply. "That's all very well, but we've got to get you out of this sc.r.a.pe first. Your people, Suthers, Rubley, and Spark, write as if they meant to prosecute you for robbing them."

"But I meant to pay it again, sir--I did indeed!" cried Percy.

"Yes: of course. That's what all fellows who go in for a bit of a spree with other people's coin say to themselves, so as to give them Dutch courage. But it won't do!"

"But indeed I should have paid it sir."

"If you had won, which wasn't likely, boy. Only one in a thousand wins, my lad, and it's always somebody else--not you. Now then, suppose I set to work and get these people, Suthers, Rubley, and Spark"--he repeated the names with great gusto--"to quash the prosecution on account of your youth and the respectability of your relations, what would you do?"

"Oh, I'd be so grateful, sir! I'd never, never bet again, or put money on horses, or--"

"Make a fool of yourself, eh?"

"No, sir; indeed, indeed I would not."

"Well, what sort of people are these Suthers, Rubley, and Spark?"

"Oh! dreadful cads, sir."

"If you say that again," cried the ex-butcher sharply, "I won't make a stroke to get you out of your trouble."

Percy stared at him with astonishment.

"It's all very fine!" cried Mr William Forth Burge. "Every one who don't do just as you like is a cad, I suppose. People have often called me a cad because I've not had so good an education and can't talk and speak like they do; and sometimes the cads are on the other side."

"I'm very sorry, sir," faltered Percy.

"Then don't you call people cads, young fellow. Now then, you mean to give up all your stupid tricks, and to grow into a respectable man, don't you?"

"Yes, sir; I'll try," said Percy humbly.

"Then just you go to your bedroom, brush that streaky hair off your forehead, take out that pin, and put on a different tie; and next time you get some clothes made, don't have them cut like a stable-boy's. It don't fit with your position, my lad. Now, look sharp and get ready, for you're going along with me."

"Going with you, sir?"

"Yes, along with me, my lad; and I'm going to keep you till you are out of your sc.r.a.pe. Then we'll see about what's to be done next."

Percy left the room, and his sister came back, to find Mr William Forth Burge looking very serious; but his eyes brightened as he took Hazel's hand.