The question was addressed to Elsie in a tone of defiance.
"Arthur," said she, "grandpa will know that _somebody_ did it, and surely you would not wish an innocent person to be punished for _your_ fault."
"I don"t care _who_ gets punished, so that papa does not find out that I did it," said he furiously; "and if you dare to tell of me, I"ll pay you for it."
"I shall say nothing, unless it becomes necessary to save the innocent, or I am forced to speak; but in that case I shall tell the truth,"
replied Elsie, firmly.
Arthur doubled up his fist, and made a plunge at her as if he meant to knock her down; but Elsie sprang behind the tree, and then ran so fleetly toward the house that he was not able to overtake her until his pa.s.sion had had time to cool.
When they reached the house, Arthur replaced the watch on his father"s table, whence he had taken it, and then they all awaited his return with what courage they might.
"I say, Wally," said Arthur, drawing his little brother aside and speaking in a low tone, having first sent a cautious glance around to a.s.sure himself that no one else was within hearing; "I say, what would you give me for that new riding whip of mine?"
"O Arthur! anything I"ve got," exclaimed the little boy eagerly. "But you wouldn"t give it up, I know, and you"re only trying to tease me."
"No, indeed, Wal; I mean to _give_ it to you if you"ll only be a good fellow and do as I tell you."
"What?" he asked, with intense interest.
"Tell papa that Jim broke the watch."
"But he _didn"t_" replied the child, opening his eyes wide with astonishment.
"Well, what of that, you little goose?" exclaimed Arthur impatiently; "papa doesn"t know that."
"But Jim will get punished," said Walter, "and I don"t want to tell such a big story either."
"Very well, sir, then you"ll not get the whip; and, besides, if you don"t do as I wish, I"m certain you"ll see a ghost one of these nights; for there"s one comes to see me sometimes, and I"ll send him right off to you."
"Oh! _don"t_, Arthur, don"t; I"d die of fright," cried the little boy, who was very timid, glancing nervously around, as if he expected the ghost to appear immediately.
"I tell you I will, though, if you don"t do as I say; he"ll come this very night and carry you off, and never bring you back."
"O Arthur! don"t let him come, and I"ll say anything you want me to,"
cried the little fellow in great terror.
"That"s a good boy; I knew you would," said Arthur, smiling triumphantly. And turning away from Walter, he next sought out Enna, and tried his threats and persuasions upon her with even better success.
Elsie had gone directly to her own room, where she sat trembling every time a footstep approached her door, lest it should be a messenger from her grandfather. No one came, however, and at last the tea-bell rang, and on going down she found to her relief that her grandfather and his wife had not yet returned.
"You look pale, Elsie," said her father, giving her a scrutinizing glance as she took her seat by his side. "Are you well?"
"Yes, papa, quite well," she replied.
He looked at her again a little anxiously, but said no more; and as soon as the meal was concluded, Elsie hastened away to her own room again.
It was still early in the evening when Mr. and Mrs. Dinsmore returned--for once, bringing no company with them; and he had not been many minutes in the house ere he took up his watch, and of course instantly discovered the injury it had sustained.
His suspicions at once fell upon Arthur, whose character for mischief was well established; and burning with rage, watch in hand, he repaired to the drawing-room, which he entered, asking, in tones tremulous with pa.s.sion, "Where is Arthur! Young rascal! this is some of _his_ work,"
he added, holding up the injured article.
"My dear, how can you say so? have you any proof?" asked his wife, deprecatingly adding in her softest tones, "my poor boy seems to get the blame of everything that goes wrong."
"He gets no more than he deserves," replied her husband angrily.
"Arthur! Arthur, I say, where are you?"
"He is in the garden, sir, I think. I saw him walking in the shrubbery a moment since," said Mr. Horace Dinsmore.
The father instantly despatched a servant to bring him in; sending a second in search of the overseer; while a third was ordered to a.s.semble all the house-servants. "I will sift this matter to the bottom, and child or servant, the guilty one shall suffer for it," exclaimed the old gentleman, pacing angrily up and down the room. "Arthur," said he sternly, as the boy made his appearance, looking somewhat pale and alarmed, "how dared you meddle with my watch?"
"I didn"t, sir; I never touched it," he replied boldly, yet avoiding his father"s eye as he uttered the deliberate falsehood.
"There, my dear, I told you so," exclaimed his mother, triumphantly.
"I don"t believe you," said his father; "and if you are guilty, as I strongly suspect, you had better confess it at once, before I find it out in some other way."
"I didn"t do it, sir. It was Jim, and I can prove it by Walter and Enna; we all saw it fall from his pocket when he was up in a tree; and he cried like anything when he found it was broken, and said he didn"t mean to do it any harm; he was only going to wear it a little while, and then put it back all safe; but now master would be dreadfully angry, and have him flogged."
"That I will, if it is true," exclaimed the old gentleman, pa.s.sionately; "he shall be well whipped and sent out to work on the plantation. I"ll keep no such meddlers about my house."
He looked at Enna. "What do you know of this?" he asked.
"It is true, papa, I saw him do it," she replied, with a slight blush, and sending an uneasy glance around the room.
"Did you see it, too, Walter?" asked his father.
"Yes, sir," replied the little fellow, in a low, reluctant tone; "but please, papa, don"t punish him. I"m sure he didn"t mean to break it."
"Hold your tongue! he _shall_ be punished as he deserves," cried the old gentleman, furiously. "Here, sir," turning to the overseer, and pointing to Jim, "take the fellow out, and give him such a flogging as he will remember."
Elsie was sitting in her own room, trying to learn a lesson for the next day, but finding great difficulty in fixing her thoughts upon it, when she was startled by the sudden entrance of Aunt Chloe, who, with her ap.r.o.n to her eyes, was sobbing violently.
"O mammy, mammy! what"s the matter? has anything happened to you?"
inquired the little girl, in a tone of great alarm, starting to her feet, and dropping her book in her haste and fright.
"Why," sobbed Chloe, "Jim, he"s been an" gone an" broke ole master"s watch, an" he"s gwine be whipped, an" old Aunt Phoebe she"s cryin" fit to break her ole heart "bout her boy, kase--"
Elsie waited to hear no more, but darting out into the hall, and encountering her father on his way to his room, she rushed up to him, pale and agitated, and seizing his hand, looked up eagerly into his face, exclaiming with a burst of tears and sobs, "O papa, papa! don"t, oh! _don"t_ let them whip poor Jim."
Mr. Dinsmore"s countenance was very grave, almost distressed.
"I am sorry it is necessary, daughter," he said, "but Jim has done very wrong, and deserves his punishment, and I cannot interfere."
"Oh! no, papa, he did not, _indeed_ he did not break the watch. I _know_ he didn"t, for I was by and saw it all."
"Is it _possible?_" said he, in a tone of surprise; "then tell me who did do it. It could not have been you, Elsie?" and he looked searchingly into her face.