She had swept and ridded herself, rinsed her mouth with pure water,
and now could sit to her dinner and review her plans.
But the storm burst over Wanless, at half-past four. Minnie came into her
room, breathless, Mrs. Benson stertorous in her traces.
Minnie wailed, "Oh, Miss, oh, Miss Sanchia, oh, dear Miss Percival, what's
going to become of us? Struan's beaten the Master, and the Sergeant's
here!"
"Apes and tigers"--Mrs. Benson tolled like a bell. "Apes and tigers. What
says the Book?"
Sanchia let them run, so the distorted tale was pieced together. At a
quarter to twelve--it must have been that, because Emma heard the
stableclock chime the half-hour--Struan was seen in his blacks. He came
out of the wood-house, an ashplant in his hand. "Apes and tigers, apes and
tigers," from Mrs. Benson--his face was dreadful to see. Who said so? Who
saw him? Not Minnie, for sure. It was Bella the laundrymaid--she saw him
from the window, and had a turn. The window was open. "Why, Struan," she
said--but he told her to shut mouth and eyes. "The less you see, and
know," he said, "the better for you." Poor Struan, with his tragedy airs!
Bella told that to Minnie, and that she would never forget it to her dying
day.
Pages:
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194