CHAPTER X

SET FREE!

THE master of Oaklands was somewhat surprised late that evening to receive a message from his gardener requesting to speak with him in his business room.

"Say I will be there in a few minutes," was the answer. "I hope there is nothing wrong," said the gentleman to his wife. "It is most unusual for Jonathan to ask for me at this time in the evening."

The few minutes seemed like hours to poor Robin as he sat waiting with Jonathan, his ear attent for the first footstep along the passage, his eye fixed on the handle of the door, watching for it to turn. Even the clock on the mantelpiece seemed to be pronouncing a severe sentence as it ticked loudly, and presently struck the hour with a sharp decisive clang like the strokes of a hammer. Before Robin had finished counting it, the master entered; and one look at the lad's downcast shame-covered face caused him to inquire quickly, "Why, what is the matter, Jonathan? Is Robin in disgrace?"

"Ah, sir, he is in sore trouble," replied Jonathan, rising to speak, "and there can be no relief for him till you know all about it. I will tell you the whole matter from beginning to end, and may God guide your judgment."

So the master listened patiently to every word, only interrupting the gardener now and then to ask Robin some questions, which were truthfully answered.

"Say to your mistress, I should be glad if she would come here immediately," said the gentleman to a servant, after ringing the bell; "and tell cook I wish to speak to her."

Robin ventured to lift his eyes to the gentle lady's face as she entered, hoping to find pity and sympathy there. As he did so, cook appeared, looking very red and uncomfortable, yet with a bold stare on her face, as though she could not imagine why she was wanted. She darted a keen look of hatred at her victim, when she caught sight of the fatal basket on the table, which so terrified the poor boy that he shook from head to foot.

"Cook, will you tell me what is in that basket?" said her master quietly.

The woman muttered something indistinctly about mother wanting a few things; then, trying to cover her defeat by an outburst of passion, said fiercely, "That is my basket. No one has a right to touch it but me. That boy is a sneak and a liar, and—"

"Silence!" interrupted the master. "Before you say any more, I will, in the presence of these witnesses, open the basket; and if it is found to contain nothing but what belongs to you, all shall be returned."

The string that had so carefully secured the cover was then cut, and the contents exposed to view. There was a large piece of bacon, with some lard, half a pound of butter, two pots of jam, and a good-sized cake. Nor was this all. On searching further, a small box was discovered containing a sovereign, and beside an empty bottle marked "Gin" lay a note addressed to her mother, and signed by cook. It directed that fifteen shillings of the money should be taken to a certain pawn-shop in Andover Street, with the enclosed numbered ticket, to redeem a certain valuable ring her mistress had dropped in the hay-field three weeks ago. Further instructions were added about the refilling of the bottle, and a special request that all might be ready for Robin to bring back the following morning. This was read aloud.

And the woman, seeing now there was no hope of escape, confessed to the whole of her misdeeds, imploring forgiveness, as the sudden terror seized her that the affair would be made public in the police-court. She said she had been tempted to take the sovereign from the embroidered purse on the morning of the birthday, when everybody was engaged in the tent on the lawn. She had heard her master promise a handsome reward to the finder of the lost ring, and therefore wished to redeem it quickly, that she might receive the promised sum.

The truth was all out now; but the master and mistress soon discerned there was no real repentance connected with cook's confession. It was only made under fear of the retributive justice she expected would swiftly follow. This was evident from the fact that, though the reading of the note had proved Robin to be no accomplice in the theft, she did her utmost to involve him in her own disgrace by telling tales of his frequent visits to the kitchen, the half of which were untrue.

"You have said enough, cook," said her master sternly. "I do not wish to hear any more. You have nothing to do with Robin; he has his own punishment. You will leave my service to-morrow. A cab will take you to your mother's house. For the sake of Mrs. Campbell, whom I respect, and whose son's ruin you have sought, I will not bring the case before the police; but let me never see you on these premises again."

The sentence was received with an expression of dogged indifference, which changed to a look of defiance as she left the room. Long and earnestly did her gentle mistress plead with the woman before her departure, trying in vain to awaken the hardened heart and conscience to a sense of sin. Those words of loving reproof and counsel fell upon an ear of stone—an ear that some years afterwards longed for that voice of Christian love, when none were nigh to speak a word of hope, as she sat a wretched prisoner in a county jail.

Robin did not lose his place. His humble and penitent confession, given without reserve as soon as cook had left the room, convinced the master that his was genuine sorrow. Another chance of gaining an honourable character must be given to the boy. This kind decision was confirmed by Jonathan's entreaties, who pleaded for Robin as if he had been his own son.

"Go home," said the old man after the interview was concluded, and he was walking down the avenue with Robin. "Go to your knees in humble thankfulness, and pour out your heart to your loving Father, against whom you have sinned. If you want words, turn to the fifty-first Psalm. You will find everything there; and God has said, 'If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.'"

So Robin went home; and there, after saying good-night to his mother, who had awaited his return in much anxiety, and receiving her forgiveness, he knelt down beside his bed, with his Bible open before him, to cry with his whole heart:

"'Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Thy loving-kindness; according unto the multitude of Thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against Thee, Thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Thy sight. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.'"

That prayer rolled back the cloud's dark face, and showed its silver lining. The load was gone from Robin's heart, and he could rest in peace.

Jonathan's master did not forget to thank his faithful servitor for all the trouble he had taken in discovering the theft. But the ring was still to be redeemed. Would Jonathan go to the pawn-shop and fetch it back?

To this, he willingly consented.

"It will be best for me to go," said he. "They are a rough lot down in that part of the town."

Accordingly, the following morning, he trudged off upon his errand, and slowly threaded his way with his trusty staff through long close streets, every turn of which he knew well.

At last he stood before a house, above whose doorway swung the familiar sign of the three gilt balls. Jonathan had to wait ten minutes before he could be attended to, as the shop was rather full, even at this early hour.

"What a history some of those things could tell!" thought he, as he stood and surveyed the various articles hanging one above another without reference to sort or kind. Those little petticoats and shoes! Where were the poor helpless children who once had worn them? Alas! Perhaps hungry and barefoot, because the huge public-house at the corner had tempted fathers and mothers to rob their little ones for the sake of that cursed drink. A small hungry-eyed girl, with a tattered pinafore and no frock, who held on by her mother's dirty gown, glanced up at the kindly old man, as if the smile she found on his good-natured face was something new in her experience.

At length there was a movement and shuffling of feet towards the door. Jonathan's turn to be served had come. Several of the rough customers eyed him askance as they passed out. His honest respectable face looked as if it had no business in such a place. A sullen-visaged woman scowled suspiciously when he made known his errand by presenting the ticket. Some low-muttered words passed between her and the rascally-looking man who held out his hand to receive the money. The pearl ring was in Jonathan's possession; and he clutched it nervously, lest by any mischance it should slip through his big fingers before he had restored it to its rightful owner.

Robin met Jonathan as he went to his work, and the old man noticed that the lad looked into his face with glad fearless eyes. The guilty shame was no longer there. Ah! How happy Robin felt as he ran along the road after that morning greeting! The birds' merry matin song made true music in his ear, for he was in tune with it now. The hardest work would be light to-day.

But it was some time before the shadow of that dark experience left the boy's heart. In his calm review of the past, each wrong step showed clear before him; he could see how pride had been his stumbling-block, because he had been "wise in his own eyes." How easy he had thought it was to be a Christian!

"The grass is always greenest in the valley of humility," he had heard old Jonathan say, and wondered what he meant. It is there that the Good Shepherd maketh His flock to lie down in the sultry noon, beside the still waters. The boy recalled the lesson taught by the fragrant almond boughs, and awakened to its meaning. Out of the shelter of the golden ark, the rod had remained bare and fruitless. It was the work of the Holy Spirit alone to revive and freshen, by leading him back to the ever-open door.

One day, to Robin's great delight, he saw Miss Clarice running through the garden gate towards him, rake in hand. There had been no opportunity of speaking to her since the day cook departed, and there was still something on his heart which made it heavy; so, moving forward to meet her, he said, with a downcast look, "Please, miss, I wanted to tell you it was I who broke the vase, and got you into trouble. Mr. Jonathan knows about it."

"Oh yes, Robin! And so does mamma now; but she is not angry with you, because you are sorry. I was naughty, you know," added the child, with a sad look, which, however, quickly changed to a bright smile as she ran to her garden, calling out, "It is all right now, Robin."

Ah! How free and unfettered did the boy feel now! That gentle touch had healed the wound remorse had kept open.

"The birds have never sung so merrily before," thought he, as he worked away with a happy will. "Surely the sky was never so blue!"

Certainly the mother had not heard her boy whistle so blithely for weeks, or noticed such a bright smile on his face, as she did that evening when he ran in and put his week's wages into her hand.

"I am so glad to think you know about everything, mother, and that there is nothing to hide now," he whispered.

"You will tell me a nice story to-night, Robin," pleaded Corrie, who had caught the reflection of her brother's smile.

"Yes, darling. Come away to the green fields. You shall fill your basket with beautiful flowers to-night, and we will be so happy!"

"Happy and good," said Corrie, repeating a favourite household word.

Its significance sent a strange thrill through Robin's heart as he bent down to kiss the pale face.