"You will excuse me for troubling you," began Farmer Parsons, after bowing several times to Mrs. Vernon and Robert. "But I thought I just had to come in and tell you that I couldn\'t help a-doing of it."
"Couldn\'t help doing what?" questioned Mrs. Vernon, in perplexity.
"Giving him a sound trouncing, lady. I thought as how he deserved it, I did."
"Whom did you whip?" asked Robert.
"Why, the lady\'s relative, of course!" cried the farmer, in surprise. "Isn\'t he back yet?"
"No, we have seen nothing of him."
Farmer Parsons fell back in his chair in open-mouthed surprise.
"By Harry! then I suppose I\'ve put my foot into it!" he gasped.
"Into what?" asked Robert, although he guessed at the truth.
"Why I--that is--you see I collared him on the road and I couldn\'t help but give him the worst trouncing I guess he ever got in his life. He threatened to have me locked up, so I thought I would come here and explain matters."
"You caught Frederic Vernon up on the cliff road?" asked Mrs. Vernon.
"I did, madam--jest after he had up and scared your horses so that they ran away."
"Then it was Frederic, beyond a doubt," murmured the lady faintly.
"He said as how he had done it only in fun," went on the English farmer. "But I said it was mighty poor fun, and he deserved a thrashing."
"And then you whipped him?" said Robert.
"No, I didn\'t trounce him until after he got impudent and told me to shut up and mind my own affairs. I told him he might have killed both on you."
"And what did he say to that?" asked our hero curiously.
"He said he knew what he was doing and I must keep my mouth shut, or he would lay the whole thing off on to me. Then I up and knocked him down, madam, and when he comes back it will be limping and with a black eye. But I don\'t care," added the farmer defiantly. "He deserved it."
"I do not blame you, Mr. Parsons," said Mrs. Vernon quietly. "It was a--a mean thing for him to do."
"Some folks would have him arrested for it, madam."
"I do not doubt but that they would. Where did you leave my nephew?"
"I left him to find his way back to the village the best he could. But before we parted I took this thing away from him. I was afraid if I didn\'t he might shoot me."
Farmer Parsons reached into one of the deep pockets of his coat and brought forth a nickel-plated revolver.
Mrs. Vernon received it gingerly and passed it over to Robert.
"Is it empty?" she asked.
"No, it has two cartridges still in it," answered the young secretary, after an examination.
"I do not know what to do with it, Robert. I do not want it."
"I reckon I\'ll keep it for the present, Mrs. Vernon," said our hero, and placed the pistol in his hip pocket.
The lady turned to Farmer Parsons.
"I do not blame you for what you have done," she said. "I imagine my nephew got what he deserved. But I hate a family scandal, and I wish you would not say anything about this matter unless I call upon you."
"As you will, madam; only I don\'t want no trouble----"
"You shall get into no trouble, Mr. Parsons; I will see to that. And for coming here, I will pay you for your time."
Farmer Parsons wished to refuse, but he was a poor man with a large family to support and he readily accepted the two pounds--about ten dollars--which Mrs. Vernon tendered him.
"Very much obliged, madam," he said, as he bowed himself out. "But take my advice and watch your nevvy--watch him closely, for he\'s a bad un, he is!" And in a moment he was lumbering down the stairs again.
For several minutes after the farmer was gone Mrs. Vernon said nothing. She began to pace the floor nervously. The last of her faith in her graceless nephew was shattered.
"He is a villain, Robert," she said at last. "A villain in every sense of the word. There does not seem to be a redeeming trait in his whole character."
"Well, I wouldn\'t say that exactly, Mrs. Vernon. But one thing is certain, he is too dangerous a character to be allowed to remain where you are."
"You are right, and I shall send him off as you suggested."
"And if he won\'t go?"
"He will go--or else he shall go t............