Part 18 (2/2)

But Alice was shrewd enough to realize that it would be just as well to have someone else present at this interview so she politely insisted.

At sight of Mrs. Morton, Mr. Ga.s.sett removed his hat, which he seemed previously to have forgotten.

”How do you do, Madam, a beautiful winter day. I am sorry to disturb you--I just had a little matter of business with your servant.”

Alice's eyes flashed at the word servant and Mrs. Morton looked annoyed.

Despite her firm belief in cla.s.s distinctions, she had grown fond of Alice and ”servant” seemed unnecessarily offensive. She drew herself up coldly.

”Yes, Mr. Ga.s.sett?”

Mr. Ga.s.sett opened his errand rather haltingly. Mrs. Morton's dignity oppressed him.

He had been told, he said, that some stolen stock certificates had been found with the silver, which he understood Alice was keeping under the mistaken idea that she had some claim to them because her father had not endorsed them over to Mr. Ga.s.sett personally. The bank had waited some weeks hoping she would find out her mistake and return them to their rightful owner, himself. She had not done so and it was his painful duty to come and demand his property.

Mr. Ga.s.sett s.h.i.+fted his weight from one foot to the other and looked at Mrs. Morton.

Alice also looked as Mrs. Morton, who motioned her to answer for herself.

”Mr. Ga.s.sett, I shall not give up those certificates till you have proved your right to them.”

”But, my girl, don't you understand those certificates were stolen from my house? I should think my word would be sufficient,” said Mr. Ga.s.sett pompously.

”I am not denying they were stolen from your house, Mr. Ga.s.sett, but I wish you to explain how my father's certificates came to be in your possession.”

”Explain nothing!” Mr. Ga.s.sett's temper was rising. ”If you knew anything about business you could see that your father had signed away his claim to them by putting his name on the back.”

”There is nothing to show that he signed them over to you, Mr. Ga.s.sett.

My father died believing he owned that stock--he told my mother so.

After his death we hunted high and low for it, but it could not be found. My mother asked you if the certificates were in the store safe, but you denied all knowledge of them--yet you had them all the time and they did not appear in the settlement of Father's estate. It looks very queer if they were yours that you did not say so to my mother at the time. No, I shall not give them up until you prove your right to them.”

Mr. Ga.s.sett's face was a very expressive one. It was red with wrath by the time Alice had finished her little speech.

”Hoighty-toighty, my girl, you'd better think twice before you go to insulting your betters. Your mother's dead and what you remember as a half-grown girl won't go very far in a court of law. Your father made over those certificates to me as security for a debt. It was none of your mother's business whether I had them or not. They were endorsed in blank because he hoped to pay the debt and get them back, I suppose.”

”You mean he had paid the debt, but carelessly left those valuable papers in the store safe supposing you were an honest man!”

Alice spoke hastily, scarcely daring to hope herself that she had hit the truth.

If Mr. Ga.s.sett's face had been red before, it was purple now. He fairly glared at Alice.

”You shall answer for this, you minx. You'll not find it so pleasant being dragged into court. I'll give you one more chance to hand over those papers peaceably--and if you don't, I'll have the law on you. As for you,” including Mrs. Morton in his rage, ”I'm surprised that you should encourage your servant to insult a gentleman in your own home.”

”This is Alice's affair, Mr. Ga.s.sett,” replied Mrs. Morton coldly. ”She has a perfect right to say what she thinks. I did not arrange to have this interview take place here you will remember.”

It was plain to the others that Mrs. Morton was on Alice's side.

This unspoken sympathy acted like a tonic on the girl. She drew herself up in a remarkably good imitation of Mrs. Morton's grand manner.

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