But I meant to pay it, whether he did or not. That's the
whole story. I never meant to embezzle money, and I'm not the man to
do it. You never knew me do a dishonest trick, sir.'
'Where's Dunsey, then? What do you stand talking there for? Go
and fetch Dunsey, as I tell you, and let him give account of what he
wanted the money for, and what's he's done with it. He shall repent
it. I'll turn him out. I said I would, and I'll do it. He shan't brave
me. Go and fetch him.'
'Dunsey isn't come back, sir.'
'What! did he break his own neck then?' said the Squire, with
some disgust at the idea that, in that case, he could not fulfil his
threat.
'No, he wasn't hurt, I believe, for the horse was found dead, and
Dunsey must have walked off. I daresay we shall see him again by and
by. I don't know where he is.'
'And what must you be letting him have my money for? Answer me
that,' said the Squire, attacking Godfrey again, since Dunsey was
not within reach.
'Well, sir, I don't know,' said Godfrey, hesitatingly. That was a
feeble evasion, but Godfrey was not fond of lying, and, not being
sufficiently aware that no sort of duplicity can long flourish without
the help of vocal falsehoods, he was quite unprepared with invented
motives.
'You don't know? I tell you what it is, sir. You've been up to some
trick, and you've been bribing him not to tell,' said the Squire, with
a sudden acuteness which startled Godfrey, who felt his heart beat
violently at the nearness of his father's guess.
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