by L. T. Meade
spring, and wouldbring her. You see, sir, Alberta must have some one--we can't get girlsout our way. There'll be plenty for Florrie to do, and I make no doubtshe'll be happy, and what my aunt calls work off her bouncing."
Alwyn laughed. "It seems a very good place," he said; "and certainlyshe did us a good turn. What--what are the Warrens thinking about forlittle Wyn? I wish we could give him an opening."
"I don't think his parents would part with him," said Harry. "He's anice little chap, but it is a bit difficult to say what next for him.He's too small and not the sort for a gamekeeper, and, as his fathersays, he'd never have the heart to kill the vermin. Then he thought ofgetting him taken into the garden under Mr Elton; but I'm afraid he'dfret and not be much good here."
"Edgar asked me to take care of him," said Alwyn. "He said that perhapshe had spoiled him for other work. But he was very fond of him."
"Ah, sir, he'll be none the worse for having thought of some one beforehimself. You know they had had a notion, as he was so handy and quiet,to let him be put under a butler for a time and then be trained up towait on invalid gentlemen. But--"
"Well?" said Alwyn.
"Well, his sister Bessie said something to him, but he hid his face andsaid, `They'd _all_ die. Robertson says _five_ have.'"
"Poor little chap," said Alwyn. "It's too soon to tease him about it.But I must talk to his father, and think what can be done."
The matter was not settled very easily. Mr Cunningham's ideas werebounded by giving Wyn a sovereign, and letting him run about the placein any capacity that might turn up.
Bessie, thinking this very undesirable, wanted him to come and boardwith her, and be apprenticed to the schoolmaster as pupil-teacher. Wynsaid that he hated teaching, and couldn't bear to be shut up indoors.Alwyn hardly knew enough of English life to judge what would be best,but he could not bear the notion that Edgar's favourite should be leftto run to waste, or to a life in which he would not be happy, and atlast Sir Philip Carleton made a suggestion.
If the boy really had a turn for plants and flowers, and they wanted toget him into a superior line, why should not an appointment be got forhim when a little older at Kew or some other great public garden? If hewas clever and took to the work, there were all sorts of openings. Andin the meantime, as his education by all accounts consisted chiefly ofthe names of mosses and lichens, and the habits of birds, field-mice,and other wild creatures of the woods, send him to school--to the greatChurch public school at Ardingly for boys of his standing--where hewould meet other sons of gentlemen's servants, besides boys of asuperior class. He could learn Latin and science, it would be acomplete change for him, and the tutors there would soon find out whathe was fit for.
Alwyn liked the idea very much. He thought that Wyn had capabilities,and there was an affectionate simplicity about the little fellow thatwas very engaging. So, as Mr and Mrs Warren gave their gratefulconsent, it was at once settled that he should go to Ardingly after theChristmas holidays, about the same time as Florence's passage was takenfor New York.
CHAPTER TWENTY THREE.
THE COLOUR OF THE JEWELS.
Before the Confirmation day came the lost jewels were safely restored toLady Carleton's keeping, and the diamonds that had been hidden for eightyears in a hollow tree were likely to be handed down as heirlooms to herchildren with additional care and interest.
But over the bent heads of the three young people who had had so muchinterest in their loss and their recovery, there flashed a glory ofmystic light and colour. For the great west window of Ashcroft Churchwas filled with painted glass, jewel-like in pattern and colour. In thecentre was the form of Him who made the lame to walk, and, as the winterafternoon sun streamed through the window, the earthly colours seemedtransmuted into heavenly jewels.
Underneath was an inscription:--
"To the glory of God, in memory of Edgar Cunningham, and in thanksgivingfor undeserved mercies, this window is given by all concerned in thelosing and the finding of the jewels hidden in Ashcroft Wood."
Lilian Carleton, Alwyn Cunningham, Harry Whittaker, Florence, and Wynhad all in their very different proportions contributed to the offering.
When in after life the three children looked back on their Confirmationday, it was lighted up for them by that wonderful colouring, and sweetwith the recollection, for Florence, of the first person she had earedto please; for Geraldine, of the first she had much eared to help; andfor Wyn, with a far deeper, tenderer memory of one who had not perhapshad the best things to give him, but who had given him all he could, thelove of the beautiful things of Nature, and the example of uncomplainingcourage and endurance.
Before that day came Alwyn had gone back to Boston, intending to returnin the spring and bring his wife to visit Ashcroft. There was a greatdeal in his future life that would be difficult of adjustment, andperhaps those parts of it which he would spend under his father's roofwould not be the easiest to manage. But pardon and reinstatement wereworth much, and he knew well that if his father had really disinheritedhim, apart from the obvious loss, the bitterness would have beenunspeakable. And, as the sorrow of his brother's loss turned into asweet and tender memory, he felt that those three months with him hadbeen worth any pain. He might well say:
My days with others will the sweeter be For those brief days I spent inloving thee.
To Mr Cunningham the reconciliation had cleared away a cloud of whichhe had never acknowledged the blackness. It was perhaps inevitable thatthe sense that poor Edgar had no more to suffer should transcend thegrief for his loss; but Geraldine had a much kinder father in thefuture, and her welfare became his chief consideration, as she tried tobrighten his home. She rode and walked with him; the occasional visitsof Alwyn and his lively, earnest-tempered wife would oblige society andfriendly intercourse, and Miss Cunningham of Ashcroft bade fair as timewent on to find her life full of interest and occupation.
Sir Philip and Lady Carleton settled permanently at Ravenshurst, and onegreat anxiety was lifted off Wyn Warren's shoulders when a happy homewas found there for poor Dobbles, who drew the nursery donkey-cart orcarried little Lily on his back through the woodland walks once sofamiliar to his steady feet.
For Wyn will never forget Mr Edgar, though he prospered at school, andfound many hopes and interests open to him. He treasured the botanybooks that had been given to him as a remembrance; and if, as his newmasters think, a career as a naturalist should be open to him in thefuture, he will never make a new discovery in wider fields, never seewith his own eyes the wonders he has read of, without feeling an echo ofMr Edgar's pleasure when some specimen which he was sure could be foundin the wood actually came to light there.
When Florence went home to Rapley before she sailed for America, herfather said that she had grown into a woman. The naughty-girl periodwas over. She looked at everything from a different standpoint; andMiss Mordaunt never received such a surprise in her life as whenFlorence Whittaker called to say good-bye, and to thank her, withmanners learnt at Ravenshurst, for all past kindness. Now that she knewhow to be polite her broad and genial smile and warm-hearted, outspokenvoice were pleasant, and in after days it is not certain that MissMordaunt did not look back on Maud Florence Nellie as having had hergood points after all. She had a satisfactory parting also with MrsLee. She was not so entirely a changed character as to receive her AuntStroud's good advice with perfect submission, and the form in which shecouched her excellent resolutions for the future was:
"Well, I shall be as meek as any lamb to Alberta, and `fly round,' asHarry calls it, whenever she tells me, just because Aunt Stroud declaresI shall make them repent of their kindness! And if I were you, Mattie,I'd say yes to Mr Clements to-morrow, for the very reason that AuntStroud says you'll never have the sense to see which side your bread'sbuttered."
Whether Mattie availed herself of this ingenious excuse, whether on acloser acquaintance Mr Clements developed traits in common with herfavourite heroes, or whether, as was most pro
bable, fiction finallyfaded before fact, Mattie did bring herself to a favourable answerbefore Florence sailed.
"And who's going to look after Sybil and Ethel?" said Florencevirtuously. "My lady and Aunt Charlotte would say it was a greatdisadvantage to them to be left to themselves."
"Well, Florrie," said the aggravated Sybil, "I don't see as _you_ weremuch the better for having Mattie to look after you."
"Florrie is just like Aunt Stroud," said Ethel. "She'll be just as_good advicey_ when she's old enough."
For energy will have a vent, and Florence had expended some of hernew-found wisdom in endeavouring to regulate her younger sisters'conduct.
"Don't quarrel, girls," said Mattie, "when Florrie's
