Confessions of a Young Lady

uld not get a servant to stop at The Chase. Considering that the family consisted of Dick and me, and the four children, who all of them insisted on doing exactly as they

upposed himself to have wandered into someth

-if they had made up their minds to fly off to the other side of the county--to have a regular meal ready at perhaps five o'clock in the morning. As for lunch, they expected that to be on all day. And always something hot and really nice. As for tea, as a rule, Nora and I had ours together; but no one ever knew when the boys would insist on having theirs. It was the same with dinner. We always had had a proper dinner, and I felt, strongly, that because mother was dead we ought not all at once to behave as if we were barbarians, and leave off everything she had accustomed us to. And Dick said that he agreed with me. So I fix

it was, so far as we knew, no one had a right to even send the boys to school. And as they refused, point-blank, to go of their own accord, educationally they bade fair to shine. At Mr Sanford's suggestion we tried a tutor. The trick

never been very fond of school. And the sudden chance of liberty had turned their heads. Besides, they had all made up their minds to be things for which much book-learning was not re

had made one, but that it had been stolen, because one day I came upon a

y had been kept bound about with ribbons tied in true lovers' knots, you could see how sacred she had held them. There were all sorts of things besides. In particular, quantities of ball programmes. She must have seen a great deal of Society at one time. What a strange change must have taken place in her life, because I did not remember her once going anywhere. Some of the things were beyond my comprehension. I wondered what history was attached to a tiny Maltese cross wrapped in silver paper. There were lots of things which suggested us chil

as a sheet of foolscap paper, folded in three. On one side was written, in mother's writing: "Conten

own despat

, My own will, My

a tiny little key. I had always understood from mother that she had kept all sorts of wonderful things inside of it. Yet, after she had been buried, and we had got rid of the Ogre, and had found he

im. He made inquiries at Somerset House, where, it appears, they keep such things, and t

which I die possessed to my dear wi

ned to us that at Somerset House they only keep a copy when the original will has been what they call "prov

our sentiments in l

e to the thing. What asses we were, not

ity is that he collared a good deal else besides. For instance,

of my mind. But I remember them perfectly. Why, it was only during the last holidays before she died that she showed some of them to me. I went into the morning-room one day, and she had the brown despatch-box on the table, and it w

e said that she

worn either in a ring, or as a pin, or as a stud.' She attached it to three pieces of gold which were with it in the case, to let me see how that was managed. 'Did he often wear it?' I asked. 'No,' she

and told me it was father's, and that perhaps one day it would be mine. She touched a spring and let me hear it chime the hours, and the quarters

r keep this despatch-

she kept all her private pap

the box showed any signs o

. We knew nothing about what was going on. All he had to do was to unlock things, and walk off with what h

enough all through, looked grav

is difficult for us to determine what may not be missin

sure thing. He's a confounded highway r

trong. But Mr Sanford d

at the time of your mother's decease, and the corre

was there, it was ther

obable that Mr Miller has robbed you of a

have the flog

al importance; and your father's jewels, whi

uld th

pparently at par value--over ￡50,000. At present prices they would be worth more. The presumption is that scrip, or bonds, o

00!" I

ll of us looked amazed at

d Dick, "is living on the

could be turned into cash at a moment's no

h the

er is, that had not your sister come upon this list, almost, as it seems, by accident, we might never have known that such securities were

n, all by myself. I was to meet Hetty Travers and her mother at St James's Hall--and perhaps Mr Sanford might be there, but he could not be sure--and then

s the p

at when you did not know your way to a place, all you had to do was to jump into a hansom and trust to the driver. He maintained that while there was a hansom to be found no one need be lost in town. So that was just what I did do. I took one from London Bridge to Oxford Street; then, when I had got what I wanted there, another to Regent Street, which, driving, seemed really no distance at all; an

on the pavement, a little way in front--the Ogre! Mr Stephen Miller! The sight of

p! s

back on to its haunches, and out I jumped. The Ogre, sublimely unconscious of who was behind him, had moved aside as if he were about to enter a grea

's mother's will, and father

going to turn on his heel and run. But that was only for a moment. After he had recovered from the sudden shock--and the sight o

mistake. I have not the plea

truthfulness

ho I am?--You do!

who Molly Boyes may be. And as I have a pressi

after him there was nothing of him to be seen. He had either vanished into air, or into one of the innumerable offices which apparently the place contained. In front of me was a staircase; beyond it was a passage; on my right was a second passage; on my left

I asked, "where M

I don't know the name

st cam

I could. The stranger seeme

e's Stock Exchange. The offices are on the fourth floo

white tablet, amidst lots of other names, was "No. 169. The People's Stock Exchange. Mr George Kenrick." I went first round one corner, then round another--there was not a soul to be seen from whom to ask the way--and I was commencing to wonder if I should have to keep on chasing myself round corners for the

and a thief! And clever though you are, you'll find yourself

ry angry that I did not dare ask who he had been speaking to. But the language he had used was so extremely applicable to the Ogre, that I felt convinced it must be he. So I went to t

d you again,

uite a boy, in fact--who was mov

at the usual t

s,

though I had not the remotest notion what he meant by such behaviour.

that I have fo

essed than he ever was in our part of the world; but, in spite of it, he looked just the same disreputable, untrustworthy obje

I followed. When we were in he stared

ps it's the frock that does it--you never know." His manner m

he impudence to as

mother's will--and father's jewels--and the s

you? Are t

hat they are missing-

what things one somet

rfectly aware. Will you give them

you expect me to hand

on't intend to leave

se I l

we come to a policeman, to wh

o laugh at in the notion of being l

houldn't like being sent to pr

e brought it

I'll do; you give me a

amed

you say su

u are. Sorry I asked for what isn't to be had. I keep what

out his words, looks and manner made me conscious of a distinct sense of discomfort. I half wished that I had allowed him to escape, and made no attempt to follow. I glanced at my watch. It was past half-past two! What would the cabman think of me outside--and I had left three parcels in his cab!--and

ill you open this door, please, and

t last!--I suspected. I stooped down and saw that th

lock the door. Open it

not on the other side I could not tell. It was a great, strong, heavy door, an

uch a thing made me so mad that tears of rage came into my eyes. There must be a bell somewhere. There was; an electric bell, represente

fare through which I had come, it seemed so odd. Could I be alone in that great place? The prospect did not appear agreeable. I turned to the window. It was quite narrow, though treme

uess what. How long was I to stop in that room? This was Saturday. I seemed to remember having heard that people left business early on Saturdays. I myself had seen that the shops were being closed. Perhaps

at the usual t

one took the slightest notice--I doubted very much if there was anyone to hear. The room through which I had come was much larger than the one in which I was. The passage was beyond. If, as was probable, the outer door was also closed

mmencement, I smashed the window. With the ruler I deliberately knocked out as much of the frosted glass as I could. Most of it went outside and, amid the prevailing stillness, it seemed to make quite a terrible noise. I found that the look-out was into a sort of well. The f

d out, a masculine someone. I do not think I was ever so glad to see anyone in my life as I was to see that boy--he appeared to me to be

but--have you just

hav

red din that I thought

happened! I'm s

he's never coming back again. And I ought to be down at Richmond for a cricket match. It looks like getting there! Though what they'll do without me I can't think. Because, apart from batting, with the leather I'm a marvel. My na

rate that he did not g

n't understand: I'

n? No? No

nd I want you to come and break

are you trying to take a rise out of yo

t; and you don't

d to e

a robber and a thief. I came to get back some of the things he has stolen. He's gone

that rather

e! And if you don't want to see me throw mys

f out of the window. You'd make an awful mess if you d

ice speaking

appeared a short dark man, with an eyeglass and a moustache turned up at the ends. He smiled in my direction as if he h

risoner!

're

riso

your custom to make captives

were in earnest? Of c

ity of some people is extraordinary. Even whe

posing that I should break i

re till you do! Because I shall go m

ask you

den, and I ought to have met Hetty Travers at St James's H

It's time

a button about me. I was seized

on't go and leave me!--please

hrough my blinding tears;

yours! You mustn't think me a brute; but yours is such an extraordinary statement. But,

hange, and belongs to a man who calls himself K

f the sheep, and you've been fleeced! I fancy it won't be the first shindy they've had at that establishment. Here, Clifford,

at he would not care a scrap if I was locked in there until the crack of given another glance at his watch, he would come to the conclusion that it was more than time for him

as about. And at last--such a long at last--I heard the outside door being opened; footsteps approached my door; there was a little fumbling with the keyhole; and--I was unlocked! There stood a porter-looking sort of person, a policeman, and the eye-glassed man from over the way. He had

y plain-looking men! No wonder they seemed pleased w

elegraphed home to know what had become of me. On their replying that I had gone to London with the intention of going to the concert, he tore about

again. It seemed that he had used the money of which he had robbed us to help him to rob others. The People's Stock Exchange was a gigantic swin

or of the parcels which I left inside. And in th