CHAPTER XI.
My first act the next morning was to go and see my grandfather. He received me with a sufficiently cordial growl, and confident, I suppose, of the good understanding between us, no longer kept up the pretence of rheumatic pains in my presence. I again read and transcribed for several hours, at the end of which Mr. Thornton was pleased to say—"I might be off if I liked;" and reminded me not to forget "that Chaos and Creation—" Wishing to sound him still further, I replied—
"Oh! no. I hope to find it before I go."
"Eh?" he sharply said.
"Before I go with Mr. O'Reilly," I resumed, "he means to stay another week or ten days here."
"Who said you were to go with him?" asked Mr. Thornton.
"No one. But surely, Sir, you will not care to keep an insignificant girl like me?"
He did not answer; I continued.
"It would be a great deal better to go with him, than to make him come back and fetch me."
"I'll tell you what," interrupted Mr. Thornton, knitting his black brows and looking irate: "if that Irishman, who sent the little girl to school, and who gives the young girl such queer looks, attempts to carry you off, he'll rue it as long as he lives. I'll teach him," he added, impressively, "the meaning of the word 'abduction.' See 9th of George IV."