"And I will catch him! These west-country yokels, to fancy that they
can do Tom Thurnall! It's adding insult to injury, as Sam Weller's
parrot has it."
Now his shortest way home lay across the shore, and then along the
beach, and up the steps by the little waterfall, past Mrs. Harvey's
door; and at that door sat Grace, sewing in the sun. She looked up and
bowed as his passed, smiling modestly, and little dreaming of what was
passing in his mind; and when a very lovely girl smiled and bowed to
Tom, he must needs do the same to her: whereon she added,--
"I beg your pardon, sir: have you heard anything of the money you
lost? I--we--have been so ashamed to think of such a thing happening
here."
Tom's evil spirit was roused.
"Have _you_ heard anything of it, Miss Harvey? For you seem to me the
only person in the place who knows anything about the matter."
"I, sir?" cried Grace, fixing her great startled eyes full on him.
"Why, ma'am," said Tom, with a courtly smile, "you may possibly
recollect, if you will so far tax your memory, that you had it in your
hands at least a moment, when you did me the kindness to save my life;
and as you were kind enough to inform me that I should recover it when
I was worthy of it, I suppose I have not yet risen in your eyes to
the required state of conversion and regeneration." And swinging
impatiently away, he walked on, really afraid lest he should say
something rude.
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