"Give me my shilling. It is a cheat!" cried Jamie, now suddenly roused into one of his fits of pa.s.sion.

Judith caught him by the arm, and endeavored to pacify him.

"Let go, Ju! I will have my shilling. That man took it away. He is a cheat, a thief. Give me my shilling."

"I am afraid he is excitable," said Vokins.

"Like all irrational beings," answered Jukes. "I'll make a note.

Rising out of hallucinations."

"I will have my shilling," persisted Jamie. "Give me my shilling or I'll throw the ink at you."

He caught up the ink-pot, and before Judith had time to interfere had flung it across the table, intending to hit Mr. Scantlebray, senior, but not hurt him, and the black fluid was scattered over Mr. Vokins's white trousers.

"Bless my life!" exclaimed this gentleman, springing to his feet, pulling out his handkerchief to wipe away the ink, and only smearing it the more over his "ducks" and discoloring as well, his kerchief.

"Bless my life--Jukes! a dangerous lunatic. Note at once. Clearly comes within the act. Clearly."

In a few minutes all had left, and Judith was endeavoring to pacify her irritated brother. His fingers were blackened, and finally she persuaded him to go up-stairs and wash his hands clear of the ink.

Then she ran into the adjoining room to Mr. Menaida. "Oh, dear Mr.

Menaida!" she said, "what does this mean? Why have they been here?"

Uncle Zachie looked grave and discomposed.

"My dear," said he. "Those were doctors, and they have been here, sent by your aunt, to examine into the condition of Jamie's intellect, and to report on what they have observed. There was a little going beyond the law, perhaps, at first. That is why they took it so easily when you carried Jamie off. They knew you were with an old lawyer; they knew that you or I could sue for a writ of Habeas Corpus."

"But do you really think--that Aunt Dionysia is going to have Jamie sent back to that man at Wadebridge?"

"I am certain of it. That is why they came here to-day."

"Can I not prevent it?"

"I do not think so. If you go to law----"

"But if they once get him, they will make an idiot or a madman of him."

"Then you must see your aunt and persuade her not to send him there."

CHAPTER XXIX.

ON A PEAc.o.c.k'S FEATHER.

As Mr. Menaida spoke, Miss Dionysia Trevisa entered, stiff, hard, and when her eyes fell on Judith, they contracted with an expression of antipathy. In the eyes alone was this observable, for her face was immovable.

"Auntie!" exclaimed Judith, drawing her into the sitting-room, and pressing her to take the arm chair.

"Oh, Auntie! I have so longed to see you--there have been some dreadful men here--doctors I think--and they have been teasing Jamie, till they had worked him into one of his temper fits."

"I sent them here, and for good reasons. Jamie is to go back to Wadebridge."

"No--indeed no! auntie! do not say that. You would not say it if you knew all."

"I know quite enough. More than is pleasing to me. I have heard of your outrageous and unbecoming conduct. Hoity! toity! To think that a Trevisa--but there you are one only in name--should go out at night, about the streets and lanes, like a common stray. Bless me! you might have knocked me down with a touch, when I was told of it."

"I did nothing outrageous and unbecoming, aunt. You may be sure of that. I am quite aware that I am a Trevisa, and a gentlewoman, and something higher than that, aunt--a Christian. My father never let me forget that."

"Your conduct was--well I will give it no expletive."

"Aunt, I did what was right. I was sure that Jamie was unhappy and wanted me. I cannot tell you how I knew it, but I was certain of it, and I had no peace till I went; and, as I found the garden door open, I went in, and as I went in I found Jamie locked up in the cellars, and I freed him. Had you found him there, you would have done the same."

"I have heard all about it. I want no repet.i.tion of a very scandalous story. Against my will I am burdened with an intolerable obligation, to look after an idiot nephew and a niece that is a self-willed and perverse Miss."

"Jamie is no idiot," answered Judith, firmly.

"Jamie is what those p.r.o.nounce him to be, who by their age, their profession, and their inquiries are calculated to judge better than an ignorant girl, not out of her teens."

"Auntie I believe you have been misinformed. Listen to me, and I will tell you what happened. As for those men----"

"Those men were doctors. Perhaps they were misinformed when they went through the College of Surgeons, were misinformed by all the medical books they have read, were misdirected by all the study of the mental and bodily maladies of men they have made, in their professional course."

"I wish, dear Aunt Dionysia, you would take Jamie to be with you a few weeks, talk to him, play with him, go walks with him, and you will never say that he is an idiot. He needs careful management, and also a little application----"

"Enough of that theme," interrupted Miss Trevisa, "I have not come here to be drawn into an argument, or to listen to your ideas of the condition of that unhappy, troublesome, that provoking boy. I wish to heaven I had not the responsibility for him, that has been thrust on me, but as I have to exercise it, and there is no one to relieve me of it, I must do my best, though it is a great expense to me. Seventy pounds is not seventy shillings, nor is it seventy pence."

"Aunt, he is not to go back to the asylum. He _must not_ go."

"Hoity-toity! _must not_ indeed. You, a minx of eighteen to dictate to me! Must not, indeed! You seem to think that you, and not I, are Jamie's guardian."

"Papa entrusted him to me with his last words."

"I know nothing about last words. In his will I am const.i.tuted his guardian and yours, and as such I shall act as my convenience--conscience I mean, dictates."

"But, Aunt! Jamie is not to go back to Wadebridge. Aunt! I entreat you! I know what that place is. I have been inside it, you have not.

And just think of Jamie on the very first night being locked up there."

"He richly deserved it, I will be bound."

"Oh, Aunt! How could he? How could he?"

"Of that Mr. Obadiah Scantlebray was the best judge. Why he had to be punished you do not know."

"Indeed I do. He cried because the place was strange, and he was among strange faces. Aunt--if you were whipped off to Timbuctoo, and suddenly found yourself among savages, and in a rush ap.r.o.n, as the squaw of a black chief, or whatever they call their wives in Timbuctoo land, would you not scream?"

"Judith," said Miss Trevisa, bridling up. "You forget yourself."