Page:In the Roar of the Sea.djvu/141

Rh riot, for the house was not large, and the sounds from the hall penetrated every portion of it. She was frightened, and went into Miss Trevisa's room.

"Aunt! what is this dreadful racket about?"

"Go to sleep—you cannot have every one shut his mouth because of you."

"But what is it, auntie?"

"It is nothing but the master has folk with him, if you wish particularly to know. The whole cargo of the Black Prince has been run, and not a finger has been laid by the coast-guard on a single barrel or bale. So they are celebrating their success. Go to bed and sleep. It is naught to you."

"I cannot sleep, aunt. They are singing now."

"Why should they not; have you aught against it? You are not mistress here, that I am aware of."

"But, auntie, are there many down-stairs?"

"I do not know. It is no concern of mine—and certainly none of yours."

Judith was silenced for a while by her aunt's ill-humor; but she did not return to her room. Presently she asked—

"Are you sure, aunt, that Jamie is gone back to Polzeath?"

Miss Trevisa kicked the stool from under her feet, in her impatience.

"Really! you drive me desperate. I did not bargain for this. Am I to tear over the country on post-horses to seek a nephew here and a niece there? I can't tell where Jamie is, and what is more, I do not care. I'll do my duty by you both. I'll do no more; and that has been forced on me, it was not sought by me. Heaven be my witness."

Judith returned to her room. The hard and sour woman would afford her no information.

In her room she threw herself on her bed and began to think. She was in the very home and head-quarters of contrabandism. But was smuggling a sin? Surely not that, or her father would have condemned it decidedly. She remembered his hesitation relative to it, in the last conversation they had together. Perhaps it was not actually a sin—she could recall no text in Scripture that denounced it—but it was a thing forbidden, and though she did not understand why it was forbidden, she