"to mr. st. clive's!"
what wonder that the words filled charlton with surprise. ralph was surely risking a great deal in taking such a step. but ralph knew mr. st. clive, and charlton did not—and that made a great deal of difference. besides, the case was desperate. somewhere must be found in which to hide; and no other place offered, so to mr. st. clive's they went; and ralph, leaving his two companions in the garden, went indoors by himself.
but if the charltons were surprised when ralph announced his intention of going to mr. st. clive's, that gentleman was still more astonished when the lad told him of his adventures, and what he had done.
"you know that you said, sir," ralph concluded by saying—"that you always had a great idea that mr. charlton was innocent; and that if i were instrumental in getting him taken i might regret it all the rest of my life, and so i thought that you would be sure to sympathize with the poor man, and be ready to help him."
[pg 196]
"well, ralph," laughed mr. st. clive, "you have certainly taken me at my word. however, i do not know but what i am glad that you have done so; and mr. charlton being here, i may be able, after consultation with him, to devise some means of proving that he was innocent of the crime laid to his charge. let us go and welcome him."
it was very affecting, that meeting between the two men—the one so weary and dispirited, the other such a true christian gentleman; but mr. st. clive soon put the other at his ease, and they all entered the house. irene was out with her mother at the moment; and after mr. st. clive had seen that his new guest was provided with food, he spoke, and the other three sat listening attentively.
"now, mr. charlton," he said, "i have been thinking, and i can see one way for your remaining here in safety, and being able to communicate freely with your wife."
"that is a blessing too great to be possible," sighed mr. charlton; but mr. st. clive smiled kindly.
"i differ from you. it is not only possible, but easy. listen to me. it is unlikely that any one will dream of looking for you here; but to make doubly sure, we can disguise you. now, it so happens that i am in need of a gardener, and there is a cottage vacant. you must be gardener. if you know nothing of gardening, that does not much matter; i can post you up in it. then, my wife can invite mrs. charlton[pg 197] to visit here, and there will be nothing to prevent her coming frequently, and staying all day. there is only one thing to remember. of course, i shall tell my wife everything, but i do not think that my little daughter ought to be made a party to this; so to her you will be, say, thomas brown—that is an easy name—and before her our manner towards each other must be that of master and servant. you will not mind that?"
"mind!" cried mr. charlton, the tears rolling down his cheeks. "mind! can you think that i shall mind such a trifle as that, when you are so good, and ready to take the risk of helping me? but this morning i felt that, excepting wife and son, i had not a friend in the world. now i find that god has not forsaken me utterly."
"he never does forsake those who put their trust in him," was the gentle answer. "well, come with me at once, and we will see about making a gardener of you, before any of the servants can see you as you are. and you, boys, remember how you behave to my gardener," he added, looking at them. "you, ralph, have been very thoughtful in the way you have managed—mind you do not make a slip."
"i will try my best, sir," answered ralph; and then he and charlton were left alone. and then—then all of a sudden charlton was kneeling at his feet, holding his hand and kissing it, and sobbing out his thanks; until ralph cried out that if he didn't get[pg 198] up he would punch his head for him, to give him something to cry about, and to show that he was his friend; and that made poor charlton laugh feebly.
and, sitting there, charlton explained what he was too proud to tell before—how he had wanted that ten shillings to help his father; and how his father, not using it, had given it back to him.
"indeed, i knew nothing about the note, ralph," he said. "i know that you thought i had stolen it, and it made me miserable, but i am sorry that i spoke to you as i did."
"all right, old fellow!" answered ralph, wringing his hand. "do not let us think of it any more. besides, i have a pretty good idea of who took that note now—or, rather, who caused it to be taken. i don't know for certain, so i will accuse no one; but i don't think that it was you."
"you mean horace elgert!" cried charlton; but ralph smiled and shook his head.
"won't do, old fellow. i said that i would not mention names. but look here, charlton, i do want to ask your father one thing. does he know anything about my father?"
"your father! how can he, ralph?"
"he might have been in stow wood that night, and have seen or heard something," the boy said.
"i will answer that question for myself!" mr. charlton entered as ralph was speaking, and the boys started, for even charlton would not have known[pg 199] his father in the half-bald, grey-bearded old fellow who stood before him. "i will answer that question, ralph rexworth; and then, after that, i am only brown, the gardener, remember. i can give you no information beyond this. on the night of your father's disappearance—my son has told me about that—i was in stow wood, and i heard a shot; and afterwards i saw a trap being driven rapidly away. there were two men in it, and one of those two leaned up against his companion as though he was helpless or badly hurt. hiding myself, i could not follow them; but i thought at the time that it looked like foul play."
"the second man was not dead?" cried ralph anxiously; and the answer was very positive—
"no, i am quite certain of that, for i heard him groan as they passed in the darkness. that is all i can tell you. it was natural that you should think that i knew something about it. i have also heard that i am supposed to be the one who entered the dormitory at the school one night; but i am innocent of that. a little thought ought to convince any one that to do such a thing would be the very last object of my wishes—the danger of being captured would be too great; and i do not quite see what any one can imagine that i should want to go there for."
"it is all a mystery to me," said ralph. and then irene's voice was heard in the hall, and she and her mother entered.
[pg 200]
"back again, ladybird!" said her father, kissing her. then, seeing her eyes fixed on the strangers, he went on: "ah! you want an introduction? this is fred charlton, ralph's friend; and this is a man who is to be our new gardener. his name is thomas brown. run off with ralph and charlton for a little while; i want to talk to your mother."
when the young people were gone, mr. st. clive told his wife of ralph's adventures, and introduced mr. charlton in his proper character. and mrs. st. clive spoke so nicely and kindly, and promised to go and see mrs. charlton the very next day; and when she met ralph she squeezed his hand, and gave him such a kiss as made him know that she was glad he had acted as he had done.
and on the sunday mrs. st. clive went for mrs. charlton, and brought her back with her. no one saw the meeting between the husband and wife save their own son; for ralph had to take irene right out of the way, lest she should wonder at their guest talking to the gardener, or going to his cottage.
but afterwards, when mrs. charlton met the boy to whom she owed so much—oh, the look of gratitude which she gave him, and the way in which she spoke! it made ralph very happy, but it made him very uncomfortable at the same time.
and then, the day past and morning come, it was once more back to school; and some of the boys stared when they saw ralph and charlton appear[pg 201] arm-in-arm, for their quarrel had been noticed and discussed.
but when tom warren saw them, he came running up, a real glad smile on his face.
"hallo, you two!" he said, as he met them. "i am awfully glad to see this. it's the right thing; and i do hope that you won't quarrel again."
"i shall never quarrel with rexworth any more," said charlton, in low tones. "you have no need to fear that, warren. i owe him more than i can ever repay, though i cannot tell you why!"
"perhaps i can tell you why," replied warren, with a laugh. "for it is all over the place. elgert set it going."
"set what going?" demanded the two chums, in one voice; and the monitor went on—
"oh, he says that—i don't want to pain you, charlton, but it is better to hear it from a friend than from an enemy"—and warren turned, half apologetically to charlton as he said this—"he says that your father was in stow wood, and that the police were looking for him——"
"and that lord elgert lent them his pony and trap to hunt him down," put in charlton bitterly.
"no, he didn't say that. did he, though? the mean sneak! well, he says that your father was there, and that the police saw ralph, here, go into the wood. some one must have warned your father, for he managed to get out, and got off in the pony and[pg 202] trap they had left. they didn't say it was lord elgert's, though. elgert at once jumped at it that it was you, ralph, did the warning, because you are charlton's chum. he says it is additional proof that you two had that note, and he is making a jolly lot about it; though half the fellows, and more than half, are strong on your side, and say that if it is true, they would have done the same thing. elgert says that the police inspector is ready to knock your head off for the way in which you cheated him."
"is he, though!" laughed ralph. "well, warren, as you know so much, we may as well tell you all about it, when we have time—with one exception, though. you must not ask us where we took mr. charlton, or where we hid him. that is our secret. the rest you may know. by the way, i wonder how elgert will like it if he knows that it was i drove off in that trap?"
"you! what a prime joke! i say, ralph, what a chap you are! come along, and let us get in!"
that the story had got about was very clear, for curious glances were cast at the pair as they crossed the playground with the monitor; and then a group of juniors, led by tinkle, suddenly piped up—
for he's a jolly good fellow,
for he's a jolly good fellow!
elgert, standing near them, turned with a frown.
"shut up that howling, you young cubs!" he[pg 203] growled fiercely; but from the other side of the playground, and from the fifths, the same words came.
elgert turned and went into school. he was furious. he had come down thinking that he had a good chance of getting ralph into disgrace, and here the fellows were actually praising him! it was gall to horace elgert; and, through the window, still came the sounds of the refrain being shouted below—
for he's a jolly good fellow,
and so say all of us!
