Once Aboard the Lugger-- The History of George and his Mary

Of Ananias A

r told George that the mast

e house. His right arm tucked about the cat he carried, with his left

ter element of some unseen force which we detect by medium of the almost atrophied sense that in dogs we call instinct. As dogs will check and grow suspiciou

grim; his glance shifted and he froze, for it rested upon Mrs. Major-hidden by a table from the waist downwards, prim, bolt upright in a chair, face most intensely grim; his eye

ood perfe

bell, Mr. Marrapit's voice came boo

oomed Mr.

ath George's

rom the fear into which the invisible something

pened what might have

utstretched it. He took a step forward. "Uncl

rs. Major on

e came a viole

felt to be rushing upon him, but it remained invisi

ose, u

et shorter jerk; from Mary a

t raised a

said Mr.

ning ears George listened. The tense atm

long finger. "Are you not afraid that you will hear upon the threshold the f

arth-?" Ge

towards him. "Ananias!" he boomed. He

d Mrs. Maj

?" he asked. "I tell you-look for

y the table. With a most queenly creature in his a

antly he remembered that a bogus Rose was what he fully expec

note, "Uncle," he said,

loose a torr

tely raising and lowering the other hand, his white hair seeming to stream, his eyes flashing, he to

ruly. I have been deceived. Woe is me for I have been most wickedly deceived by those who eat of my bread, who l

ect of his speech upon her; in racking sniffs Mary's emotion found vent. Bu

idly: "That

ried Mr.

-vipers and all that kind of thing. When you've calmed down and understand things, perhaps you'll be sorry. I tell you

s, "Oh, George, don't, do

, George

enmire yourself in the morass of your evil. Put down that miserable cr

r they stood together the less Rose-like became the cat he had brought into the room. For the cat that Mr. Marrapit had produced-Mr

er from his head; the blood went thumping in his temples. He was aghast and horror-struck with the stupefaction that comes of effort to disbelieve the eyes. But he did dis

t throwing a careless tone into his voice, "A very g

He opened his lips and the air rushed out with roaring sound. Again he inspired, raised his clench

ened from his lips; allowed his pent-up breath to escape inarticula

doubt, "Not at all u

de yet more difficult the struggle to disbelieve what his eyes told him. "Not at all

ctantly convinced, Mr. Marrapit again played Ec

frankly. "Certainly. I do n

jor's cat I detect certain signs which my Rose has long bor

said G

ng oil, "which I recollect in my Rose. The mark, for example, where

inting, he cried triumphantly:

mildly. "Yes, but you are now

d Mrs. Maj

urther "hem," with which a chuckle was mixed, came from Mrs. Major; from my co

at mark which by disastrous blunder he had indicated on Mrs. Major's cat; vainly he sought it on his

repeated Mr. Marrapit, his to

akes it so extraordinary-that this cat which you call Mrs. Major's

e has not-if

healed. Healed months ago. Don't you remember my say

ped Mr. Marrapit, wit

id Georg

Mrs. Major.

a sinister hardness now behind

sordered mind the room took on the ap

cat has a verdant tail, a bush-like tail. Yours has a rat tail. D

ly. Latterly, if you remember, there was a remarkable falling off in the Rose's

ze him. "Oh, George, don'

u mean me, Miss Humfray, you forget yourself. I do not un

s tail was getting." He gathered confidence, pushed ahead. "You have forgotten those little points, sir. Upset by your loss you have jumped at the first cat like the Rose t

redi

ollen, this time burst to speech. He raised his clenched

urried on. "It is. I admit it. It is an

ave instead a

e! George!" from his Mary checked him. Furious, he turned upon her; a

n by telling him what you have told me. I implore speed. Silence him. Utterly confound him.

Marrapit," she bowed. She murmured "Rosie, Rosie, ickle Rosie!" The cat

soft accompaniment of its majestic purr,

I thought it was our darling Rose. Suddenly I heard voices. I did not wish to be seen, because, dear Mr. Marrapit, if it was the Rose I had found, I wanted to brin

; shot a stabbing

hing whose presence he had scented on entering the apartment. No sound came from this stricken man. He could not speak, nor move,

the room, the collapsed heap upon the sofa's edge. "Those two entered. He had

advertised the emotions she had suffered by bury

. "I need not repeat again all the dreadful s

. Marrapit told he

he whole of it. It was so dreadful, I was so horrified, that I think I fainted. Yes, I fainted. But I heard them discuss how he had stolen th

a jerk, drew in her leg

ld not have his darling Mary blackened. He took a stride to Mrs

s. Major. "Ho! A l

ar," George storm

pit. "Do not anger heaven yet

ussed the business with me, or that it was Miss Humfray's turn to take the damned cat. Miss Humfray knew nothin

He stretched a violent finger to an inch from her nose

man pressed back her head as far as the

ollowed. "Say it's t

ed: "Oh, George

man flamed on to

"You be quiet, too!" He thrust the dreadful finger at Mrs. Majo

d of the room. The masterly woman for once

as the truth-from you." He rounded upon Mr. Marra

nced Mr. Marrapit. "A monst

is you are the cause of it. If you had

ows along the path. Mr. Marrapit sho

shouted. He liked the fine phrase and r

sin. Leave the house. Return thanks where thanks are due if I do not

ut a hand on her George

ff. "I'll go when it pleases m

returned. He addressed Mary. "Place

y did as bade. Awful visions of her George, fettered between policemen, tr

and to Mr. Marrapit, "I'm

. Major: "What other lies have you been telling?" He lashed himself at Mr. Marrapit. "Set the law on me? I joll

pted, "remove that man. Take him

. "Me thrust him? I'm a

Marrapit. "Take choice." He turned

"You're not going til

his tone, pass

r. Marrapit; caught Mr. Fletcher, thrust him

t George; to save a fall clutched him. "Do

Marrapit's foot. Mr. Marrapit screamed shrilly, plunged backwa

swung on his heel; called "Come"

gate, "Oh, Georgie!" his Ma

h made you say you were sorry? Yo

g man stalked ahead

ndered from the study; turned as he reached the path. "Me grapple him!" said Mr. Fletcher. "Me a