We Two [196]
my purse had disappeared, and I was left lamenting, like Lord Ullin in the song."
"Have you any idea who took it?"
"Yes, I rather think it must have been a man on the Paddington platform who walked with a limp. I remember his pushing up against me very roughly, and I suppose that was when he took it. The porters were all horrid about it, though, I could get no one to help me, and I hadn't even the money to get my ticket. At last an old lady, who had heard of my penniless condition, advised me to go to any friends I might happen to have in London, and I bethought me of my cousin Erica. You will befriend me, won't you? For it is impossible to get to Sandgale tonight; there is no other train stopping there."
"I wish I knew what was right," said Erica, looking much perplexed. "You see, Rose, I'm afraid Mr. Fane-Smith would not like you to come here."
"Oh, nonsense," said Rose, laughing. "He couldn't mind in such a case as this. Why, I can't stay in the street all night. Besides, he doesn't know anything about your home, how should he?"
This was true enough, but still Erica hesitated.
"Who was that white-haired patriarchal-looking man whom I met in the hall?" asked Rose. "A sort of devotional quaker-kind of man."
Erica laughed aloud at this description.
"That's my father!" she said; and, before she had quite recovered her gravity, Raeburn came into the room with some papers which he wanted copied.
"Father," said Erica, "this is Rose, and she has come to ask our help because her purse has been stolen at Paddington, and she is stranded in London with no money."
"It sounds dreadfully like begging," said Rose, looking up into the brown eyes which seemed half kindly, half critical.
They smiled at this, and became at once only kind and hospitable.
"Not in the least," he said; "I am very glad you came to us."
And then he began to ask her many practical questions about her adventure, ending by promising to put the matter at once into the hands of the police. They were just discussing the impossibility of getting to Sandgale that evening when Tom came into the room.
"Where is mother?' he asked. "She has kept her cab at the door at least ten minutes; I had to give the fellow an extra sixpence."
"That wasn't auntie's cab," said Erica, "she came home half an hour ago; it was Rose's cab. I hope you didn't send away her boxes?"
"I beg your pardon," said Tom, looking much surprised and a little amused. "The boxes are safe in the hall, but I'm afraid the cab is gone beyond recall."
"You see it is evidently meant that I should quarter myself upon you!" said Rose, laughing.
Upon which Raeburn, with a grave and slightly repressive courtesy, said they should be very happy if she would stay with them.
"That will make my adventure perfect!" said Rose, her eyes dancing.
At which Raeburn smiled again, amused to think of the uneventful life in which such a trifling incident could seem an "adventure."
"It seems very inhospitable," said Erica, "but don't you think, Rose, you had better go back to Greyshot?"
"No, you tiresome piece of prudence, I don't," said Rose perversely. "And what's more, I won't, as Uncle Luke has asked me to stay."
Erica felt very uncomfortable; she could have spoken decidedly had she been alone with any of the three, but she could not, before them all, say: "Mr. Fane-Smith thinks father an incarnation of wickedness and would be horrified if he knew that you were here."
Tom had in the meantime walked to the window and drawn aside the curtain.
"The weather means to settle the question for you," he said. "You really can't go off in such a fog as this; it would take you hours to get to Paddington, if you ever did get there, which is doubtful."
They looked out and saw that he had not exaggerated matters; the fog had grown much worse since Rose's arrival, and it had been bad enough then to make traveling by no means safe. Erica saw that there was no help for it. Mr. Fane-Smith's anger must be incurred, and Rose must stay with them. She
"Have you any idea who took it?"
"Yes, I rather think it must have been a man on the Paddington platform who walked with a limp. I remember his pushing up against me very roughly, and I suppose that was when he took it. The porters were all horrid about it, though, I could get no one to help me, and I hadn't even the money to get my ticket. At last an old lady, who had heard of my penniless condition, advised me to go to any friends I might happen to have in London, and I bethought me of my cousin Erica. You will befriend me, won't you? For it is impossible to get to Sandgale tonight; there is no other train stopping there."
"I wish I knew what was right," said Erica, looking much perplexed. "You see, Rose, I'm afraid Mr. Fane-Smith would not like you to come here."
"Oh, nonsense," said Rose, laughing. "He couldn't mind in such a case as this. Why, I can't stay in the street all night. Besides, he doesn't know anything about your home, how should he?"
This was true enough, but still Erica hesitated.
"Who was that white-haired patriarchal-looking man whom I met in the hall?" asked Rose. "A sort of devotional quaker-kind of man."
Erica laughed aloud at this description.
"That's my father!" she said; and, before she had quite recovered her gravity, Raeburn came into the room with some papers which he wanted copied.
"Father," said Erica, "this is Rose, and she has come to ask our help because her purse has been stolen at Paddington, and she is stranded in London with no money."
"It sounds dreadfully like begging," said Rose, looking up into the brown eyes which seemed half kindly, half critical.
They smiled at this, and became at once only kind and hospitable.
"Not in the least," he said; "I am very glad you came to us."
And then he began to ask her many practical questions about her adventure, ending by promising to put the matter at once into the hands of the police. They were just discussing the impossibility of getting to Sandgale that evening when Tom came into the room.
"Where is mother?' he asked. "She has kept her cab at the door at least ten minutes; I had to give the fellow an extra sixpence."
"That wasn't auntie's cab," said Erica, "she came home half an hour ago; it was Rose's cab. I hope you didn't send away her boxes?"
"I beg your pardon," said Tom, looking much surprised and a little amused. "The boxes are safe in the hall, but I'm afraid the cab is gone beyond recall."
"You see it is evidently meant that I should quarter myself upon you!" said Rose, laughing.
Upon which Raeburn, with a grave and slightly repressive courtesy, said they should be very happy if she would stay with them.
"That will make my adventure perfect!" said Rose, her eyes dancing.
At which Raeburn smiled again, amused to think of the uneventful life in which such a trifling incident could seem an "adventure."
"It seems very inhospitable," said Erica, "but don't you think, Rose, you had better go back to Greyshot?"
"No, you tiresome piece of prudence, I don't," said Rose perversely. "And what's more, I won't, as Uncle Luke has asked me to stay."
Erica felt very uncomfortable; she could have spoken decidedly had she been alone with any of the three, but she could not, before them all, say: "Mr. Fane-Smith thinks father an incarnation of wickedness and would be horrified if he knew that you were here."
Tom had in the meantime walked to the window and drawn aside the curtain.
"The weather means to settle the question for you," he said. "You really can't go off in such a fog as this; it would take you hours to get to Paddington, if you ever did get there, which is doubtful."
They looked out and saw that he had not exaggerated matters; the fog had grown much worse since Rose's arrival, and it had been bad enough then to make traveling by no means safe. Erica saw that there was no help for it. Mr. Fane-Smith's anger must be incurred, and Rose must stay with them. She