Page:Gaskell - North and South, vol. II, 1855.djvu/86

 But, to plague me to the last, he turned back before he got in, and said, 'If you can help me to trap Lieutenant Hale, Miss Dixon, we’ll go partners in the reward. I know you'd like to be my partner, now wouldn't you? Don't be shy, but say yes.' And he jumped on the bus, and I saw his ugly face leering at me with a wicked smile to think how he'd had the last word of plaguing."

Margaret was made very uncomfortable by this account of Dixon's.

Have you told Frederick? " asked she.

"No," said Dixon. "I were uneasy in my mind at knowing that bad Leonards was in town; but there was so much else to think about that I did not dwell on it at all. But when I saw master sitting so stiff, and with his eyes so glazed and sad, I thought it might rouse him to have to think of Master Frederick's safety a bit. So I told him all, though I blushed to say how a young man had been speaking to me. And it has done master good. And if we're to keep Master Frederick in hiding, he would have to go, poor fellow, before Mr. Bell came."

"Oh, I'm not afraid of Mr. Bell; but I am afraid of this Leoards. I must tell Frederick. What did Leonards look like?"

"A bad-looking fellow, I can assure you, miss. Whiskers such as I should be ashamed to wear— they are so red. And for all he said he'd got a confidential situation, he was dressed in fustian just like a working-man."

It was evident that Frederick must go. Go, too, when he had so completely vaulted into his place in the family, and promised to be such a stay and staff