“I have not seen any dog near the house. Do they keep any?”
“No.”
“That is lucky. A determined dog is sometimes a troublesome customer. I
recollect, one night, Dick Hargrave and I had planned a little expedition
of this kind, when it was all broken up by a cursed bull-dog, who rushed
out upon us as if he would tear us to pieces; and, to tell the truth, he
did tear Dick’s coat off his back.”
Helen listened in dismay; for it revealed to her what she had not
known,—that her uncle had been implicated in affairs of a similar kind
before. It will be remembered that Armstrong, in proposing to her to
co-operate with him, had used the pretext that Mr. Gregory had cheated
him, and that he was resolved to repay himself. This, Helen had believed
at the time; but his present unguarded remarks led her to entertain
strong doubts of its truth. Her strong natural dislike for the duplicity
and treachery required at her hands determined her, in spite of her
habitual timidity and fear of her companion, to venture a remonstrance.
This, however, she delayed till he should make a specific demand upon her.
He resumed: “I don’t know but there’s a pretty good chance of success.
To-night is Tuesday night. I can’t very well get ready before Friday.
On that night, you must contrive, in some manner,—taking care to incur
no suspicion,—to come down stairs and unlock the front door. I shall be
on hand at one o’clock. Be very particular about the time; for what I do
must be done quickly.”
“But, uncle, wouldn’t that be robbery?”
“Robbery! Didn’t I tell you that old Gregory had cheated me out of more
than the sum I shall take?”
“But they have treated me kindly; and it makes me feel ashamed to know
that I am trying to injure them, uncle”——
“Don’t call me uncle again! I’m no uncle of yours,” said Armstrong,
roughly. Noticing the child’s look of surprise, he added, “There, the
murder is out! I had intended to treat you as a niece; but you don’t
deserve it. It is time to talk to you in a different strain. I declare
to you, Helen, that, unless you comply with my command, I will make you
repent it most bitterly. Do you hear?”
“Yes,” said Helen, terrified no less by his looks than his words.
“Then take care that you remember: Friday night, at one. And now, as we
understand each other, that is all that is necessary.”
They returned to the house in silence. Armstrong, with a hypocritical
whine, thanked Mrs. Gregory for her kindness to his dear grand-daughter,
who, he was glad to find, seemed so contented and happy in her new
position.
“You will pardon an old man’s tears,” said he, drawing his hand across
his eyes; “but she is all that is left to me now.”
“What a good old man!” thought Mrs. Gregory, as she hastened to
assure him that whatever she could do to add to the comfort of his
grand-daughter would cheerfully be done.
As for Helen, she was astonished and confused at what she had discovered.
She had always been led to believe that Armstrong was her uncle, and had
more than once reproached herself for the dislike she could not help
entertaining for him. Now he had himself disclaimed the relationship; and
Helen was left to conjecture fruitlessly who and what she was.