Hardie heard it,
interpreted it aright, and sent for him into the parlour, and there told
him with a great affectation of frankness what he had done, then asked
significantly if there was any news at Albion Villa.
Skinnier in reply told Mr. Hardie of the distress he had witnessed up at
Albion Villa: "And, sir," said he, lowering his voice, "Mr. Alfred helped
carry the body upstairs. It is a nice mess altogether, sir, when you come
to think."
"Ah! all the better," was the cool reply: "he will be useful to let us
know what we want; he will tell Jane, and Jane me. You don't think he
will live, do you?"
"Live! no: and then who will know the money is here?"
"Who should know? Did not he say he had just landed, and been
shipwrecked? Shipwrecked men do not bring fourteen thousand pounds
ashore." The speaker's eyes sparkled: Skinner watched him demurely.
"Skinner," said he solemnly, "I believe my daughter Jane is right, and
that Providence really interferes sometimes in the affairs of this world.
You know how I have struggled to save my family from disgrace and
poverty: those struggles have failed in a great degree: but Heaven has
seen them, and saved this money from the sea, and dropped it into my very
hands to retrieve my fortunes with.
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