One Maid's Mischief Part 28

"Danger! Why I shall lose thousands!" cried Perowne. "The fellow will never forgive me, and throw endless obstacles in my way with his people."

"Helen refused him, of course?" said the Resident.

"Of course--of course," said the merchant, pettishly.

"I blame myself deeply for not being more observant," said the Resident.

"Others have seen what I failed to see, and it was always so.

Lookers-on see most of the game; but I am awake to the danger now."

"Danger? danger?" said Perowne, looking up now in a startled way. "Do you think there is danger? I hope not; but we ought to be prepared.

What do you think it will be best to do?"

"See Hilton, and tell him to double all guards; fill your revolver with cartridges; and be always on the alert. We must make no show of begin in danger, but go on as usual, while reinforcements are quietly sent for from Singapore."

"Do--do you think it will be as bad as that?"

"Worse, for aught I know," said the Resident, bitterly. "That fellow, with all his smoothness and French polish, may turn out, now he is thwarted, a perfect demon. Perowne, we have contrived to make him our bitterest foe."

"But--but it couldn't be helped, Harley," said Perowne, in an apologetic tone. "Helen could not--"

"Suppose you leave Miss Perowne's name out of the question, Mr Perowne," said the Resident, sternly. "I'll go on and see Hilton now, and we must do the best we can."

VOLUME ONE, CHAPTER TWENTY TWO.

MRS BOLTER AT HOME.

It cannot be denied that Mrs Bolter's mature little heart had developed, with an intense love and admiration of her lord, a good deal of acidity, such as made her jealous, exacting, and tyrannical to a degree.

Let it not be supposed, however, that the doctor was unhappy. Quite the contrary; he seemed to enjoy his tyrant's rule, and to go on peaceably enough, letting her dictate, order, and check him at her own sweet will.

"There's no doubt about it," chuckled the little doctor to himself, "she's as jealous as Oth.e.l.lo, and watches me like an--an--an--well--say eagle," he said, quite at a loss for a simile. "I don't mind, bless her! Shows how fond she has grown; and I suppose it must be worrying to the dear little woman to have first one and then another lady sending for me. I don't wonder at her asking me what they wanted. I shouldn't like it if gentlemen were always sending for her."

Dr Bolter had been indulging in a similar strain to this, when, after making up a few quinine powders in his tiny surgery, he went into the room where his little wife was in conversation with her brother.

"Ah, Arthur!" said the doctor, "how are you getting on with folks?"

"Very pleasantly," said the chaplain, smiling. "I find everybody kind and genial."

"That's right," said the doctor, rubbing his hands and smiling at his wife, who frowned at him severely, and then let her pleasant face break up in dimples. "I want you both to enjoy the place. Don't be afraid of visiting. They like it. Stir them up well, and make yourself quite at home with everybody. This isn't England."

"No," said the Reverend Arthur, smiling; "I find the difference."

"I say, old boy," continued the doctor, "I was in the fort yesterday, talking to some of the men. They say they like your preaching."

"I am very glad, Harry," said the chaplain, simply. "I was afraid that I was rather wandering sometimes in my discourse."

"No, no; just what they like, old fellow! Simple and matter of fact.

What they can understand. Going?"

"Yes; I am going across to see Mr Harley."

"Ah! do. Good fellow, Harley! Don't make any mistakes though, and step into the river instead of the sampan."

"Is there any danger, Henry?" exclaimed Mrs Doctor, sharply.

"Not the least, my dear; only Arthur here is a little dreamy sometimes."

"I'd go with him," said Mrs Bolter decidedly, "only I want to talk to you, Henry."

"Phee-ew!" whistled the doctor, softly, "here's a breeze coming;" and he looked furtively at his wife to see what she meant.

She walked with her brother to the door, bade him be careful, and then returned.

"Now look here, Dr Bolter," she said severely, "I am the last woman in the world to find fault, but I am your wife."

"You are, my dear Mary, and the very, very best of wives!"

"That's base flattery, sir," said the little lady, who, however, looked pleased.

"Flattery? No! One never flatters one's wife."

"How do you know, sir?" cried Mrs Bolter, sharply.

"From what one reads, Mary. I never had a wife before; and I never flatter you."

"No, sir, but you try something else; and I tell you I will not submit to be imposed upon!"

"I'm sure, my dear, I never impose upon you."

"Indeed, sir; then what is this you propose doing? Why do you want to go away for three days?"

"Collecting, my dear."

"Without Arthur? Now look here, Bolter, the very fact of your wanting to go collecting without Arthur, whom you always talk about as being a brother naturalist, looks suspicious."

"Indeed, my dear, I do want to go collecting."

"Collecting? Rubbish!"

"No, my dear, it is not. I'm afraid you will never realise the value of my specimens."

"You are going collecting, then?" said Mrs Doctor.

"Yes, my dear."

"Without Arthur?"