CHAPTER XLI.

TWO SIDES OF A STORY.

WHEN they entered, Randall was already in his mother's arms, and Mrs. Shaddock was pouring out questions and condolences as fast as she could speak. Her 'at home' day had come to an unpleasant end, as she had felt too ill and pre-occupied to enjoy her guests.

"However was it?" she was asking him.

"Mr. Leigh and Miss Ashlyn were talking and I got lost," was his response.

"They were not!" exclaimed Daisy, following him into the drawing-room. "Mollie, don't let mother think so—"

Mollie shrugged her shoulders. "I do think it was awfully careless," she said, "and has given mother a dreadful fright!"

"He gave us a worse one," answered Daisy indignantly, "but Miss Ashlyn will explain all about it."

"I don't care about explanations," said Mollie. "I should have thought between you, you could have looked after Randall. You know how things upset mother."

Gertrude and Otto had spoken to Mr. Shaddock in the hall, and then Otto bade Gertrude farewell and went to the door.

"I wish you could stay to see me through with this," she said with her hand on the latch, and her eyes raised to his.

"I wish I could—but I am not asked—"

"No, we are in disgrace," she said, "and that is very hard."

"It will come out all right in the end. I must go, but I would give anything to stay—"

And then she opened the door, and his light feet sprang down the steps, and he was gone.

She went slowly into the dining-room, feeling as if she could not bring her mind down to Randall and his doings.

Otto had looked as white as a sheet, and had eaten nothing since an early lunch; how could she have let him go like that?

Mr. Shaddock came in almost at once.

"Where is Mr. Leigh?"

"He is gone."

"Gone! Why did you let him go? I expected him to have supper, or whatever meal it is. Have you had anything to eat?"

"I bought some buns—"

"Buns?" echoed Mr. Shaddock disdainfully. "Could you get no tea?"

"I was afraid to spend any time over that. We did nothing but search."

"Well, it cannot be helped now. I am very vexed Mr. Leigh has gone so soon. As to this matter, the children and Randall give different accounts. I suppose it often is so in a question of missing each other. So I suppose we must think 'all's well that ends well,' and be glad it has come right now. Pray sit down, Miss Ashlyn, you look ready to faint."

"I never faint, thank you," Gertrude answered, "but we are very tired, almost too tired, perhaps, to look at the matter fairly."

"Oh, I should let it drop," said Mr. Shaddock good-humouredly. "Randall got lost, and is found again, and now let us forget it, and eat some supper."

Gertrude had been wondering in the train what dreadful punishment would be given the little delinquent, and only feared it might be too severe. She was therefore astonished to find that all was to be overlooked, and the matter left as if it had not happened.

She determined to talk to Randall herself, and try to get him to confess his share of the spoilt day. But now nothing could be done but to accept the offered tea, and think again of poor Otto making his way back to the West End, tired and lonely.

Daisy and Hugh came in at the sound of the gong, but Mrs. Shaddock had Randall's tea carried to him in the drawing-room by Mollie. And when they went there after the meal, he had gone to nurse to be put to bed.

Gertrude soon went up to her schoolroom, and sat down in her arm-chair utterly wearied out.

Daisy and Hugh came to wish good-night, and then she was left alone for half an hour.

She tried to recall all the events of the day, all Otto's words and tones which had been so refreshing to her as part of her old home life, but nothing seemed to come before her eyes but that scene in the Museum, when he had appeared in the doorway without Randall, and then their frantic search afterwards.

She was just coming to the conclusion that she should never be happy at the Shaddocks' any more if they were going to blame her for the accident, when a tap came at the door, and nurse's kind face peeped in.

"I came to see if you might want anything, Miss Ashlyn," she said quietly, "and to tell you I am so sorry about the child being missed."

"Thank you," faltered Gertrude. Her lips trembled, and she could not get out another word.

"Don't you be upset, miss. The children have told me their different stories, and I can see how it is."

"I wish I could be sure he did not do it on purpose—" began Gertrude; and then she wished she had not said so. She looked up quickly in nurse's face. "I hardly like to have said that," she added, "but—"

Nurse nodded. "Time will show," she said. "Sometimes when we can't right ourselves, there's One takes it up for us, miss, and brings good out of bad!"

"Oh, if He only would!" said Gertrude with a long breath.

"Don't be afraid, miss; I've seen it over and over, and have reason to trust Him!"

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