Maud Florence Nellie; or, Don't care!
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almost fell upon Florence.
"Oh, Florrie I have they sent you home in disgrace, for--for thinkingMr Alwyn was a poacher? It's all over now, and we've been the ruin ofeverything, and Mr Edgar's heart will be broke, and all through me."
"It ain't ruined at all," said Florence, "and I've found the letter foryou, and here it is."
"That's nothing near so bad as the other letter what master's got!" saidpoor Wyn.
"Now shut up, Wyn," said his father. "Mr Alwyn's at the house, and thematter's out of your hands, which never ought to have been mixed up init. Get you to bed at once. And what has brought Florence back again?"
"I went and carried on with Jim Blake and young Benson, and I set 'em onthinking the men in the wood were poachers, and when I found the letterin Miss Lily's pocket, and saw it was Mr Alwyn and my brother, Ithought I'd better run away than have their deaths on my shoulders. ButI was settling down, Aunt Charlotte, I was indeed, and folding up theclothes quite regular."
"Could a note be sent to tell the lady what is become of her?" saidHarry. "I'll go myself if that's all; but it's late, perhaps, todisturb them with a long story."
"I'll take the note," said Ned Warren, who had been standing in thebackground, "if Bessie 'll write it."
Bessie accordingly indited a note in her mother's name, in which shebegged to inform her ladyship that Florence Whittaker had come home, butthat circumstances had occurred in part to excuse her and that she (MrsWarren) would wait on her ladyship the next morning with a fullexplanation.
This note despatched, Bessie good-naturedly went upstairs to bathe Wyn'sface and to hear Florence's story, and to leave the elders free to cometo an explanation with the returned stranger. "Would you be goodenough," said Harry, "to tell me what has occurred as to MrCunningham?"
"It's just this," said Charles Warren. "Strangers are scarce in theseparts, and my boy and the girl took it into their heads as they must beafter mischief, and chattered about what was none of their business tothe two young fellows that Ned and I have got in to help us. So whenthey saw a stranger, as they expressed it, ferreting in a tree, theyclapped him on the shoulder and asked him his business. He looked themin the face, as they put it, as cool as you please, and asked them ifthey thought he was looking for pheasants' eggs in a hollow tree inAugust? Which they took for cheek, which it sounded like, and told himthey'd walk him up here to me. So he says, says they, `I'm glad youmind your business so thoroughly. Just walk up to the house with me,and I'll explain matters to Mr Cunningham myself.' So they walked himup, and Jim Blake, who has the most gumption of the two, says he didbegin to feel uncommon uncomfortable, and when they came to the gardenside, there was the master on the terrace. So says their man, `There'syour master, alone, I think. We'll go and speak to him at once.' Andhe unlatched the gate, quite natural-like, and walks up to the terrace.And there they saw Mr Edgar lying, and he gave a start and held out hishands, and the master sent them off with a flea in the ear. And theycome straight to me, full of misgivings; they're new in these parts,but, of course, _I_ knew who it must be at once."
"It did sound like Mr Alwyn all over," said Mrs Warren.
"Then back comes Wyn, and hears the story, and begins to cry, and burstsout about the letter that Mr Alwyn had given him and the master took."
"And is Mr Alwyn at the house now?" asked Harry.
"Yes," said Warren, "he is. But now, perhaps, you'll tell us where youcome from, and what's brought you here, and why in the wood?"
"That last," said Harry, "came about unfortunate. Mr Alwyn and I camedown here straight from London, knowing nothing of any one. And,thinking I was least likely to be recognised, he sent me with the letterto his brother, asking him to meet him in the wood, or come to London tosee him, and to tell him how the land lay before he made himself knownto his father. I gave the letter to Wyn, who dropped it: here it is.Mr Alwyn met Mr Edgar by chance, and was so knocked down by the statein which he found him, that he couldn't tell what to do next. He wasafraid, you see, of his brother having to bear the brunt of a discovery,and he not there. That made him delay."
"But, why hollow trees, which seem to have occurred in everybody'sstory?" said Warren.
"Oh!" said Harry, "to pass the time," repeating much of what he had toldMrs Stroud, omitting, however, Alwyn's experiences, but showing thecopies of the certificates and attestations of Lennox's confession,giving proofs by letters and documents of his respectable position inthe States, and expressing with the frankness which, while it was likehis old daring, had yet a different note in it, how, being a fatherhimself, he had repented of his hardness and neglect towards his home."But," he concluded, "if people don't believe us, there's no more to besaid about it at present."
Warren was a shrewd man; he had never thought it at all likely thatHarry had stolen the jewels, and he saw plainly that there was no reasonto induce him to return to his native country unless the story was true.
"I take it," he said, "that the gentlemen before whom these affidavitswere made believed in the story."
"Why, certainly," said Harry, "which they are prepared to say inwriting. Mr Warren," he added, standing up, "there's a deal in thepast I have to ask your pardon for. I was a young scamp that caredneither for man nor God, and I was downright ungrateful for all yourkindness. But I'm clear from that theft, and if you and my father cansay you think so, you'll clear away a trouble from me which not all mygood fortune has made me forget."
"Well, Harry," said Warren, "I see nothing against your story, and I'mprepared to help you to make it out."
After this Bessie came down, and the conversation took an easier turn,the exhibition of the family photograph, with the well-dressed wife andcomfortable baby, having its due effect on Mrs Warren. A shakedown wasoffered to Harry in the kitchen, and at a late hour they all went tobed, if not to sleep, after the day's excitement.
The next morning, as Wyn, though he was still rather sick and headachy,and anything but presentable, was preparing to go about his work and toinquire for Mr Edgar, and as Mrs Warren was making Florence tidy, inBessie's hat, to accompany her on a penitential errand to Ravenshurst,there was a tap at the open door, and there stood Alwyn Cunninghamhimself, as Mrs Warren said afterwards, for all the world as if he hadcome to give his orders for a day's shooting.
"I heard you were here, Harry," he said, grasping his comrade's hand."Warren, I hope you'll give me a welcome also."
"Indeed I will, sir, and glad to see you. Hope you'll overlook theyoung fellow's mistake yesterday."
Alwyn laughed a little.
"They were quite in the right of it," he said. "Hullo, Wyn, you havepunished yourself as well as the horse."
"Please, sir, if I hadn't been stupid-like with my nose bleeding, I'dnever have give up the letter. I'd have eaten it first!" burst out Wynmiserably.
"It was all for the best," said Alwyn, "and you're a faithful littlefellow."
He paused a moment, then went on, aside to Harry:
"My father wishes me to remain here for the present, and he will givefacilities for the search in the wood which we wished to make. What areyour plans, Harry?"
"Well, sir, since things are settled here, I think I ought to go toRapley."
"Can you go to London as well, and give orders for my things to be senthere? I could telegraph, but they are all in confusion. I don't wishto leave my brother to-day. And you know I must not delay in going toRavenshurst."
"Is Mr Edgar better, sir?" asked Wyn timidly. "Not much, I'm afraid,as yet. He must be very quiet for the present."
"Is all right, Mr Alwyn?" said Harry, as he followed him out of doors.
"As right as may be. My father acknowledges me, and asks me to staywith him. Friendliness and forgiveness are another matter. He read andheard all I had to say, and I believe he thinks your character cleared.Perhaps the sudden meeting was as well for him as any other, but poorEdgar fainted; all plans and scruples had to give way. It has been aterrible shock for him, and he is quit
e worn out, only wanting to keepme in sight I'll go back to him. I can't think of anything else justnow."
He turned off with a hasty "Good morning."
"He's as grave as his father," said Mrs Warren, "only the master neverspoke so gentle. Well, I'd like to have seen Mr Alwyn's merry faceagain."
"When folks have to right themselves after they've