The Stokesley Secret

by Шарлотта Мэри Йондж

  Her announcement was greeted by the girls with eager thanks, by the boys with a tremendous "Three times three for Miss Fosbrook!" and Bessie was so joyous, that instead of crying out against the noise, she joined in with Susan and Annie; but they made such a ridiculous little squeaking, that Sam laughed at them, and took to mocking their queer thin hurrahs. Yet even this Elizabeth could bear!

  David was meanwhile standing by the locker, his fingers at work as if he were playing a tune, his lips counting away, "Ninety-two, ninety- three, ninety-four--that's me; ninety-five, ninety-six, ninety-seven- -that's Jack," and so on; till having plodded up diligently, he turned round with a little scream, "One hundred and twenty! That's the pig!"

  "What?" cried Annie.

  "One hundred and twenty pence. Sukey said one hundred and twenty pence were ten shillings. That will do it! That's the pig! Oh, we've done it! May I take it to Purday?"

  "It was to be let alone till fair-day, you little bother!" said Hal.

  "No, no, no," cried many voices; "only till we had enough."

  "And I am sure nobody knows if we have," added Hal hotly. "A lot of halfpence, indeed!"

  "But I know, Hal," insisted David. "There are eighty-nine pence and one farthing in Toby Fillpot, and this makes one hundred and twenty- two pence and one farthing."

  "You'd no business to peep," said Sam.

  "I didn't peep," said David indignantly. "There were forty-eight pence at first, and then Susie had three, that was fifty-one--" And he would have gone on like a little calculating machine, with the entire reckoning in his head, if the others had had patience to hear; but Annie and Johnnie were urgent to have the sum counted out before their eyes. Hal roughly declared it was against the rules, and little inquisitives must not have their way. But others were also inquisitive; and Sam said it would be best to know how much they had, that Purday might be told to look out for a pig at the price; besides, he wanted to have it over; it was such a bore not to have any money.

  "It's not fair!" cried Henry passionately. "You don't keep the rules! You sha'n't have my sixpence, I can tell you; and I won't--I won't stay and see it."

  "Nobody wants you," said Sam.

  "I didn't know there were any rules," said the girls; but Hal was already off.

  "Hal has only put in fivepence-halfpenny," said David, "so no wonder he is ashamed. Such a big boy, with sixpence a week! But if he won't let us have his sixpence now--"

  "Never mind, we will make it up next week," said Susan.

  "Now, then, who will take Toby down?" said Miss Fosbrook, unbuttoning one glass door, and undoing the two bolts of the second, behind which the cup of money stood.

  "Susie ought, because she is the eldest."

  "Davie ought, because he is the youngest."

  David stood on a chair to take Toby off his shelf. Solemn was the face with which the little boy lifted the mug by the handle, putting his other hand to steady the expected weight of coppers; but there was at once a frown, a little cry of horror. Toby came up so light in his hand, that all his great effort was thrown away, and only made him stagger back in dismay, falling backward from the chair, and poor Toby crashing to pieces on the floor as he fell, while out rolled-- one solitary farthing

  Nobody spoke for some moments; but all stood perfectly still, staring as hard as if they hoped the pence would be brought out by force of looking for them.

  Then David's knuckles went up into his eyes, and he burst forth in a loud bellow. It was the first time Miss Fosbrook had heard him cry, and she feared that he had been hurt by the fall, or cut by the broken crockery; but he struck out with foot and fist, as if his tears were as much anger as grief, and roared out, "I want the halfpence for my pig."

  "Sam, Sam," cried Susan, "if you have hid them for a trick, let him have them."

  "I--I play tricks NOW?" exclaimed Sam in indignation. "No, indeed!"

  "Then perhaps Hal has," said Elizabeth.

  "For shame, Bessie!" cried Sam.

  "I only know," said Elizabeth, half in self-defence, half in fright, "that one of you must have been at the baby-house, for I found the doors open, and shut them up."

  "And why should it be one of us?" demanded Sam; while David stopped crying, and listened.

  "Because none of the younger ones can reach to undo the doors," said Elizabeth. "It was as much as I could do to reach the upper bolt, though I stood upon a chair."

  This was evident; for the baby-house was really an old-fashioned bureau, and below the glass doors there was a projecting slope of polished walnut, upon which only a fly could stand, and which was always locked. No one whose years were less than half a score was tall enough to get a good hold of the button, even from the highest chair, far less to jerk down the rather stiff upper bolt.

  "It cannot have been a little one, certainly," said Miss Fosbrook; "but you should not be so ready to accuse your brothers, Bessie."

  David, however, had laid hold of a hope, and getting up from the floor, hastened out of the room, followed by John; and they were presently heard shouting "Hal!" all over the house.

  "What day was it that you found the door open, Bessie?" asked Miss Fosbrook.

  "It was just after dinner," said Elizabeth, recollecting herself.

  "It was on Friday. Yes, I remember it was Friday, because I went into the school-room to get my pencil, and I was afraid Hal would jump out upon me, and looked in first to see whether he was going to be tiresome; but he was gone."

  "Yes," said Susan; "it was the day we found poor Jack stuck up on the gate, when he and Hal were in disgrace. Oh, he never would have played tricks then."

  "Did you go up before me, Bessie?" asked Miss Fosbrook; "for I went up directly after dinner to speak to Henry."

  "Yes, I did," said she. "I thought if you got in first, you would be scolding him ever so long, and would let nobody in, so I would get my pencil first; and I slipped up before you had left the table."

  Just then the two boys were heard stumping up the stairs, and ran in, panting with haste and excitement, David with a fiery red ear.

  "No, no; Hal didn't hide it!"

  "But he boxed Davie's ear for thinking he did," added John; "and said he'd do the same for spiteful Bet!"

  "Then he never played tricks," said Susan.

  "I told you not," said Sam.

  "No," reiterated David; "and he said I'd no business to ask; and if Bet went prying about everywhere, I'd better ask her. Have you got it, Betty?"

  "I!" cried Elizabeth. "How can you, Davie?"

  "You have got a secret," exclaimed David; "and you always were cross about Hannah Higgins's pig. You have got it to tease me! Miss Fosbrook, make her give it back."

  "Nonsense, David," said Miss Fosbrook; "Bessie is quite to be trusted; and it is wrong to make unfounded accusations."

  "Never mind, Betty," added Sam kindly; "if Davie wasn't a little donkey, he wouldn't say such things."

  "Where is Henry?" asked the governess. "Why did he not come himself? Call him; I want to know if he observed this door being open."

  "He is gone down to Mr. Carey's," said John.

  "And it is high time you were there too, Sam," said Miss Fosbrook, starting. "If you are late, beg Mr. Carey's pardon from me, and tell him that I kept you."

  Sam was obliged to run off at full speed; and the other children stood about, still aghast and excited. Miss Fosbrook, however, told them to take out their books. She would not do anything more till she had had time to think, and had composed their minds and her own; for she was exceedingly shocked, and felt herself partly in fault, for having left the hoard in an unlocked cupboard. She feared to do anything hastily, lest she should bring suspicion on the innocent; and she thought all would do better if time were given for settling down. All were disappointed at thus losing the excitement, fancying perhaps that instant search and inquiry would hunt up the money; and David put himself quite into a sullen fit. No, he would not turn round, nor read, nor do anything, unless Miss Fosbrook would make
stingy Bet give up the pence.

  Miss Fosbrook and Susan both tried to argue with him; but he had set his mind upon one point so vehemently, that it was making him absolutely stupid to everything else; and he was such a little boy (only five years old), that his mind could hardly grasp the exceeding unlikelihood of a girl like Elizabeth committing such a theft, either in sport or earnest, nor understand the injury of such a suspicion. He only knew that she had a secret--a counter secret to his pig; and when she hotly assured him that she had never touched the money, and Susan backed her up with, "There, she says she did not," he answered, "She once told a story."

  Elizabeth coloured deep red, and Susan cried out loudly that it was a shame in David; then explained that it was a long long time ago, that Hal and Bessie broke the drawing-room window by playing at ball with little hard apples, and had not 'told, but when questioned had said, "No;" but indeed they had been so sorry then that she knew they would never do so again.

  Again David showed that he could not enter into this, and sulkily repeated, "She told a story."

  "I will have no more of this," said Christabel resolutely. "You are all working yourselves up into a bad spirit: and not another word will I hear on this matter till lessons are over."

  That tone was always obeyed; but lessons did not prosper; the children were all restless and unsettled; and David, hitherto for his age her best scholar, took no pains, and seemed absolutely stupefied. What did he care for fines, if the chance of the pig was gone? And he was sullenly angry with Miss Fosbrook for using no measures to recover the money, fancied she did not care, and remembered the foolish nursery talk about her favouring Bessie.

  Once Miss Fosbrook heard a little gasping from the corner, and looking round, saw poor Bessie crying quietly over her slate, and trying hard to check herself. She would not have noticed her, though longing to comfort her, if David had not cried out, "Bet is crying! A fine!"

  "No," said Miss Fosbrook; "but a fine for an ill-natured speech that has made her cry."

  "She has got the pig's money," muttered David.

  "Say that again, and I shall punish you, David."

  He looked her full in the face, and said it again.

  She was thoroughly roused to anger, and kept her word by opening the door of a small dark closet, and putting David in till dinner-time.

  Then she and Susan both tried to soothe Bessie, by reminding her how childish David was, how he had caught up some word that probably Hal had flung out without meaning it, and how no one of any sense suspected her for a moment.

  "It is so ill-natured and hard," sobbed Bessie. "To think I could steal! I think they hate me."

  "Ah," said Susan, "if you only would never be cross to the boys, Bessie, and not keep out of what they care for, they would never think it."

  "Yes, Susie is right there," said Christabel. "If you try to be one with the others, and make common cause with them, giving up and forbearing, they never will take such things into their heads."

  "And WE don't now," said Susan cheerily. "Didn't you hear Sam say nobody but a donkey could think it?"

  "But Bessie has a secret!" said Annie.

  Again stout Susan said, "For shame!"

  "I'll tell you what my secret is," began Bessie.

  "No," said Susan, "don't tell it, dear! We'll trust you without; and Sam will say the same."

  Bessie flung her arms round Susan's neck, as if she only now knew the comfort of her dear good sister.

  Lessons were resumed; and as soon as these were done, Miss Fosbrook resolved on a thorough search. Some strange fit of mischief or curiosity might have actuated some one, and the money be hidden away; so she brought David out of his cupboard, and with Susan's help turned out every drawer and locker in the school-room, forbidding the others to touch or assist. They routed out queer nests of broken curiosities, disturbed old dusty dens of rubbish, peeped behind every row of books; but made no discovery worth mentioning, except the left leg of Annie's last doll, the stuffing of Johnnie's ball, the tiger out of George's Noah's ark, and the first sheet of Sam's Latin Grammar, all stuffed together into a mouse-hole in the skirting.

  At dinner Christabel forbade the subject to be mentioned, not only to hinder quarrelsome speeches, but to prevent the loss being talked of among the servants; since she feared that one of them must have committed the theft, and though anxious not to put it into the children's heads, suspected Rhoda, the little nursery-girl, who was quite a child, and had not long been in the house.

  Henry ate his dinner in haste, but could not get away till Miss Fosbrook had called him away from the rest, and told him that if he had been playing a trick on his little brother, it was time to put an end to it, before any innocent person fell under suspicion.

  "I--I've been playing no tricks--at least--"

  "Without any AT LEAST, Henry, have you hidden the money?"

  "No."

  "You dined in the school-room on Friday. Were the baby-house doors open then!"

  "I--I'm sure I didn't notice."

  "You didn't open them to take anything out?"

  "What should I want with the things in the baby-house?"

  "Did you, or did you not!"

  "I--I didn't--at least--"

  "In one word, did you open them? yes or no."

  "No."

  "What time did you go out after eating your dinner?"

  "Bother! how is one to remember! It's all nonsense making such a fuss. The children fancied they put in ever so much more than they did, and very likely took out some."

  "No; David's reckoning was accurate. I wrote down all I knew of; and I am sure none was taken out, for early that very morning I had put in a sixpence myself, and the cup was then full of coppers, with that little silver threepenny of David's with the edge turned up upon the top."

  "Then you must have left the door undone!" said Henry delighted.

  "I dare not be positive," said Christabel; "but I believe I remember bolting it; and if I had not done so, it would have flown open sooner."

  "Oh, but the wind, you know."

  "If the doors did open, it would not account for the loss of the money."

  "Well, I can't help it," said Henry ungraciously, trying to move off: but she first required him to tell her what he had said to the younger boys to make them suspect Elizabeth.

  "Did I?" said Henry, "I am sure I didn't; at least, if I did, I only said Bess peeped everywhere, and was very close. I didn't suspect her, you know."

  "I should think not!" said Miss Fosbrook indignantly. "Now please to come up with me."

  "I want to go out," said Henry.

  No, she would not let him go. She thought Elizabeth ought to clear herself, so far as it could be done, by making her secret known, since that had drawn suspicion on her; and when all the children were together, she called the little girl and told her so.

  "It is very unkind of them," said Bessie, with trembling lip; "but they shall see, if they want THAT to show I am not a thief!"

  "I said I wouldn't see," said Susan. "You knows Bessie, I trust you."

  "And I," said Sam; "I don't care for people's secrets. I don't want to pry into Bessie's."

  No one followed their example; all either really suspected, or else were full of curiosity, and delighted to gratify it.

  Half a dozen slips of card, with poor little coloured drawings on them, and as many lengths of penny ribbon!

  "Is that all?" said Annie, much disappointed.

  "So that's what Bet made such a fuss about," said John; and David's face fell, as if he had really expected to see the lost pence.

  The next thing, after the search had been made through all the children's bed-rooms, was to go to the nursery: and thither Miss Fosbrook allowed only Susan and Sam to follow her. Nurse Freeman was very stiff and stately, but she had no objection to searching; and the boy and girl began the hunt, while Miss Fosbrook meantime cautiously asked whether Nurse were sure of Rhoda, and if she were trustworthy.

  This made Mrs
. Freeman very angry; and though her words were respectful, she showed that she was much offended at the strange lady presuming to suspect anyone, especially one under her charge.

  Miss Fosbrook wanted to have asked Rhoda whether the doors were open or shut when she carried Henry his dinner, but Nurse would not consent to call her. "I understood the nursery and the girl were to be my province," she said. "If Miss Merrifield heard her mamma say otherwise, then it is a different thing."

  Susan cowered into the dark cupboard. Nurse must be in a dreadful way to call her Miss Merrifield, instead of Missy!

  Nothing more could be done. The pence could not be found. Nurse would not let Rhoda be examined; and all that could be found out from the children had been already elicited.

  Christabel could only beg that no more should be said, and, her head aching with perplexity, hope that some light might yet be thrown on the matter. There must be pain and grief whenever it should be explained; but this would be far better, even for the offender, than the present deception: and the whole family were in a state of irritation and distrust, that hurt their tempers, and made her bitterly reproach herself with not having prevented temptation by putting the hoard under lock and key.

  She ordered that no more should be said about it that evening, and made herself obeyed; but play was dull, and everything went off heavily. The next morning, Susan came back early from her housekeeping business, with her honest face grave and unhappy, and finding Miss Fosbrook alone, told her she had something REALLY to say to her if she might; and this being granted began, with the bright look of having found a capital notion: "I'll tell you what I wish you would do."

  "Well?"

  "If you would call every one in all the house, and ask them on their word and honour if they took the pence."

  "My dear, I am not the head of the house, and I have no right to do that; besides, I do not believe it would discover it."

  "What! could a thief get in from out of doors!" said Susan looking at the window.