Cursed by a Fortune Part 56

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO.

Jenny had not been seated alone many minutes after the carriage had driven off, dwelling excitedly upon her visitor's words respecting Kate's disappearance, when the front door was opened softly, and there was a tap on the panel of the room where she sat.

"Who's there? Come in."

"Only me," said a familiar voice, and, hunting whip in hand, Claud Wilton stood smiling in the doorway.

"You!" cried Jenny, with flaming cheeks. "How dare you come here?"

"Because I wanted to see you," he said. "Just met the mater, and she told me how bad you'd been, and that you talked about dying. I say, you know, none of that nonsense."

"What is that to you, sir, if I did?"

"Oh, lots," he said, twirling the lash of his whip as he stood looking at her. "If you were to pop off I should go and hang myself in the stable."

"Go away from here directly. How dare you come?" cried Jenny, indignantly.

"Because I love you. You made me, and you can't deny that."

"Oh!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed the girl, as her cheeks flamed more hotly.

"I can't help it now. I've been ever so miserable ever since I knew you were so bad; and when the old girl said what she did it regularly turned me over, and I was obliged to come. I say, I do love you, you know."

"It is not love," she cried hotly; "it is an insult. Go away. My brother will be here directly."

"I don't care for your brother," said the young man, sulkily. "I'm as good as he is. I wanted to see how bad you were."

"Well, you've seen. I've been nearly dead with fever and pain, and it was all through you that night."

"Yes, it was all through me, dear."

"Silence, sir; how dare you!"

"Because I love you, and 'pon my soul, I'd have been ten times as bad sooner than you should."

"It is all false--a pack of cruel, wicked lies."

"No, it ain't. I know I've told lots of lies to girls, but then they were only fools, and I've been a regular beast, Jenny, but I'm going to be all square now; am, 'pon my word. I didn't use to know what a real girl was in those days, but I've woke up now, and I'd do anything to please you. There, I feel sometimes as if I wish I were your dog."

"Pah! Go and find your rich cousin, and tell her that."

"--My rich cousin," he cried, hotly. "She's gone, and jolly go with her. I know I made up to her--the guv'nor wanted me to, for the sake of her tin--but I'm sick of the whole business, and I wouldn't marry her if she'd got a hundred and fifty millions instead of a hundred and fifty thousand."

"And do you think I'm so weak and silly as to believe all this?" she cried.

"I d'know," he said, quietly. "I think you will. Clever girl like you can tell when a fellow's speaking the truth."

"Go away at once, before my brother comes."

"Shan't I wouldn't go now for a hundred brothers."

"Oh," panted Jenny. "Can't you see that you will get me in fresh trouble with him, and make me more miserable still?"

"I don't want to," he said, softly, "and I'd go directly if I thought it would do that, but I wouldn't go because of being afraid. I say, ain't you precious hard on a fellow? I know I've been a brute, but I think I've got some good stuff in me, and if I could make you care for me I shouldn't turn out a bad fellow."

"I will not listen to you. Go away."

"I say, you know," he continued, as he stood still in the doorway, "why won't you listen to me and be soft and nice, same as you were at first?"

"Silence, sir; don't talk about it. It was all a mistake."

"No, it wasn't. You began to fish for me, and you caught me. I've got the hook in me tight, and I couldn't get away if I tried. I say, Jenny, please listen to me. I am in earnest, and I'll try so hard to be all that is square and right. 'Pon my soul I will."

"Where is your cousin?"

"I don't know--and don't want to," he added.

"Yes you do, you took her away."

"Well, it's no use to swear to a thing with a girl; if you won't believe me when I say I don't know, you won't believe me with an oath. What do I want with her? She hated me, and I hated her. There is only one nice girl in the world, and that's you."

"Pah!" cried Jenny, who was more flushed than ever. "Look at me."

"Well, I am looking at you," he said, smiling, "and it does a fellow good."

"Can't you see that I've grown thin, and yellow, and ugly?"

"No; and I'll punch any fellow's head who says you are."

"Don't you know that I injured my ankle, and that I'm going to walk with crutches?"

"Eh?" he cried, starting. "I say, it ain't so bad as that, is it?"

"Yes; I can't put my foot to the ground."

"Phew!" he whistled, with a look of pity and dismay in his countenance; "poor little foot."

"I tell you I shall be a miserable cripple, I'm sure; but I'm going away, and you'll never see me again."

"Oh, won't I?" he said, smiling. "You just go away, and I'll follow you like a shadow. You won't get away from me."

"But don't I tell you I shall be a miserable cripple?"

"Well," he said, thoughtfully; "it is a bad job, and perhaps it'll get better. If it don't I can carry you anywhere; I'm as strong as a horse.

Look here, it's no use to deny it, you made me love you, and you must have me now--I mean some day."

"Never!" cried Jenny, fiercely.

"Ah, that's a long time to wait; but I'll wait. Look here, little one,"