CHAPTER XXVII.
FRANZY FRANCOISE'S GALLANTRY.
While this reunited family, warmed to cordiality by the contents of theaforementioned bottle, exchanged confidences, the evening wore on.
Franz had related the story of his escape and his subsequent adventures,and finished by telling them how, by the merest accident, he had espiedMamma and Nance upon their return from the Warburton mansion; and how,at the risk of being detained by a too-zealous "cop," he had followedthem, and so discovered their present abode.
In exchange for this interesting story, Papa had briefly sketched theoutline of the career run by himself and Mamma during the ten years oftheir son's absence, up to the time of their retreat from the scene ofthe Siebel tragedy.
"We were doing a good business," sighed Papa, dolefully, "a very goodbusiness, in that house. But one night there were two or three therewith--goods, and while the old woman and I were attending to business,the others got into a fuss--ah. We had no hand in it, the old woman andme, but there was a man killed, and it wasn't safe to stay there,Franzy."
"Umph!" muttered the hopeful son; "who did the killin'?"
Papa glanced uneasily at the old woman, and then replied:
"We don't know, Franzy. The fight began when we were out of the room,and--we don't know."
"That's a pity; wasn't there any reward?"
"Yes, boy," said Mamma, eagerly; "a big reward. An' if we could tell whodid the thing, we would be rich."
"Somebody got arrested, of course?"
"N--no, Franzy; nobody's been arrested--not yet."
"Oh, they're a-lookin' fer somebody on suspicion? I say, old top, ifnobody knows who struck the blow, seems to me ye're runnin' a littlerisk yerself. S'pose they should run yer to earth, eh?"
"We've been careful, Franzy."
"S'pose ye have--look here, old un, don't ye see yer chance?"
"How, Franzy?"
"How! If I was you, I'd clear my own skirts, and git that reward."
"How? how?"
"_I'd know who did the killin'._"
And he leaned forward, took the bottle from Mamma's reluctant hand, anddrained it to the last drop, while Papa and Mamma looked into eachother's eyes, some new thought sending a flush of excitement to the faceof each.
"Ah, Franzy," murmured Mamma, casting upon him a look of pride, such asa tiger might bestow upon her cub, "ye'll be a blessin' to yer oldmother yet!"
Then she turns her head and listens, while Franz, casting a wistful lookat the now empty bottle, rises to his feet the movement betraying thefact that he is physically intoxicated, although his head as yet seemsso clear.
Again footsteps approach, and Mamma hastens to the door, listens amoment, opens it cautiously, and peers out.
"It's that gal," she mutters, setting the door wide open. "Come in, youNance! Where have you been, making yourself a nuisance?"
Then she falls back a pace, staring stupidly at the strangely-assortedcouple who stand in the doorway.
A girl, a woman, young or old you can hardly tell which; with a facescarcely human, so bleared are the eyes, so sodden, besotted and maudlinthe entire countenance; clad in foul rags and smeared with dirt, shereels as she advances, and clings to the supporting arm of a black-robedSister of Mercy, who towers above her tall and slender, and who looksupon them all with sweet, brave eyes, and speaks with sorrowful dignity:
"My duty called me into your street, madam, and I found this poorcreature surrounded by boisterous children, and striving to free herselffrom them. They tell me that this is her home; is she your daughter?"
A look of anger gleams in Mamma's eyes, but she suppresses her wrath andanswers:
"No; she's not our daughter, but she's a fine trouble to us, just thesame. Nance, let go the lady, and git out of the way."
With a whine of fear, the girl drops the arm of the Sister, and turnsaway. But her new-found friend restrains her, and with a hand restingupon her arm, again addresses Mamma:
"They tell me that this girl's mind has been destroyed by liquor, andthat still you permit her to drink. This cannot be overlooked. She isnot your child, you say; may I not take her to our hospital?"
These are charitable words, but they bring Papa Francoise suddenly tohis feet, and cause Mamma's true nature to assert itself.
Springing forward with a cry of rage, she seizes the arm of the girl,Nance, drags her from the Sister's side, and pushes her toward thenearest pallet with such violence that the reeling girl falls to thefloor, where she lies trembling with fear and whimpering piteously.
"This comes of letting you wander around, eh?" hisses Mamma, with afierce glance at the prostrate girl. Then turning to the Sister ofMercy, she cries: "That gal is _my_ charge, and I'm able to take care ofher. Your hospital prayers wouldn't do her any good."
As she speaks, Papa moves stealthily forward and touches her elbow.
"Hold your tongue, you old fool," he whispers sharply.
Then to the Sister he says, with fawning obsequiousness:
"You see, lady, the poor girl is my wife's niece, and she was born witha drunkard's appetite. We have to give her drink, but we couldn't hearof sending the poor child to a hospital; oh, no!"
Since the entrance of the Sister and Nance, Franz has apparently beenengaged in steadying both his legs and his intellect. He now comesforward with a lurch, and inquires with tipsy gravity:
"Wot's the row? Anythin' as I kin help out?"
"Only a little word about our Nance, my boy," replies Mamma, who hasmastered, outwardly, her fit of rage. "The charitable lady wants ourNance."
"The lady is very kind," chimes in Papa; "but we can't spare Nance, poorgirl."
"Can't we?" queries Franz, aggressively, turning to look at theprostrate girl. "Now, why can't we spare her? I kin spare her; who'sshe, anyhow? Here you, Nance, git up."
"Now, Franzy,"--begins Mamma.
"S'h-h, my boy,"--whispers Papa, appealingly.
But he roughly repulses Mamma's extended hand.
"Let up, old woman," he says, coarsely; and then, pushing her aside, headdresses the Sister:
"I say, what--er--ye want--er--her for, any'ow?"
The Sister turns away, and addresses herself once more to Mamma.
"I cannot understand why that girl may not have proper care," she says,sternly. "If her intellect has been shattered by the use of liquor, thisis not the place for her," pointing her remark by a glance at Franz andthe empty bottle. "Body and soul will both be sacrificed here. I shallnot let this matter rest, and if I find that you have no legalauthority--"
But again fury overmasters prudence. Mamma springs toward her with ayell of rage.
"Ah, you cat-o'-the-world," she cries, "go home with yer pious cant! Thegal's--"
The words die away in a gurgle; the hand of Franz, roughly pressedagainst her mouth, has stopped her utterance.
"Oh, get out, old woman!" he exclaims, pushing her away and steadyinghimself after the effort. "Ye're gittin' too familiar, ye air."
Then seeing that the Sister, convinced of her inability to reason withthe unreasonable, had turned to go, he cried out:
"Hold on, mum; if ye want that gal, ye kin have her. _I'm_ runnin'this."
"I shall not forget that poor creature," says the Sister, stilladdressing Mamma and ignoring Franz; "and if I find that she is not--"
She leaves the sentence unfinished, for Mamma darts toward her withextended clutches, and is only restrained by Papa's stoutest efforts,aided by the hand of Franz, which once more comes forcibly in contactwith the virago's mouth, just as it opens to pour forth freshimprecations.
To linger is worse than folly, and the Sister, casting a pitying glancetoward the girl, who is now slowly struggling up, turns away and goessadly out from the horrible place.
Dangerous Ground; or, The Rival Detectives Page 28
