Owen's Fortune; Or, "Durable Riches"

"What a coward that Norris is!" said the boy, indignantly; "the master ought to turn him away."

"Does uncle know he did it?"

"I don't know. I saw Norris talking away to him in the soft, sweet manner he has; and no doubt he made out it was no fault of his. I should like to tell Mr. Hadleigh himself."

"You must not do that."

"Why not?"

"Because we must not carry accusations of one another about."

"But it is true that he did knock you down."

"Yes; and if uncle asked you to tell him, you might do so; but I am sure you ought not to offer to tell him."

"That's rather queer, isn't it? Mr. Hadleigh was not there, and he may think it was your fault after all."

"God was there. He saw it all, and He knows everything—even why Norris is so against me; and He will make it right."

But Owen could not go on talking; the pain was so severe, he could only just bear it by keeping perfectly quiet. An hour or two passed away slowly, when Owen was surprised to hear his uncle's voice at the door, calling softly, "David!"

The boy rose. "Yes, sir," he replied.

"Is Owen asleep?"

"No, sir, he can't sleep, the pain is so bad."

"Well, come with me a minute, and then you shall return to him."

The door was gently closed, and Owen heard no more, except a whispered consultation outside. Then he was left alone for some time.

A strange thing had happened. In the bustle and confusion of Owen's accident Mr. Hadleigh had been somewhat upset, and just as he was getting into bed he remembered that he had left his cash-box in the counting-house. Such a thing had never occurred before in all his business life, and he was a good deal dismayed when he thought of it. Throwing on a dressing-gown, and stepping softly for fear of disturbing Owen, he went downstairs. He carried no candle, for he knew just where he had left the box, and he feared a light might set fire to something. He had just reached the glass door leading into the shop, and was about to put his hand out to open it, when he observed a faint light in one corner, and a figure moving. For a moment he seemed paralysed, but gathering his wits together, he carefully watched for a moment or two, when he saw the muffled figure of a man reaching down canisters and boxes, carefully and gently, and abstracting part of their contents. Not much out of each, evidently, for the parcels he made up were small; but the basket on the floor held a good many of them. The man's face he could not see, nor could he at all make out the figure.

After watching him for a moment, he crept upstairs, and calling David out of Owen's room, sent him off by a back-door to the neighbouring police-station, while he again mounted guard at the glass door. It seemed a long time to Mr. Hadleigh as he stood watching the thief walking softly about the shop, helping himself here and there to tea, sugar, cloves and spices, dried fruit, and other goods. He felt sure it was one who knew the premises well, by the way he went about, laying his hands on exactly what he wanted. Who could it be? It was neither Owen nor David, that was clear, and Mr. Hadleigh felt quite relieved when David returned with two policemen, who did not speak a word, but looked through the glass door, as Mr. Hadleigh silently pointed out the thief to them.

As they turned the handle of the door, the slight click caused the thief to start, and when he saw the policemen he hastily extinguished his light, and flew across the shop. But the policemen rushed after him; there was a few moments' struggle in the dark, as the thief tried to reach a small window at the back, from which he had evidently entered; but the two powerful men held him down and secured him, while David got matches, and lighted a lamp.

"That was a pretty tidy catch," said one of the men; "caught in the very act of stealing. A pretty long sentence you'll get, my man."

Mr. Hadleigh drew nearer to look at the man as they were leading him away, and to his surprise and indignation, saw Norris!

"Is it possible!" he exclaimed. "What can have been your object?"

"Let me off this time, Mr. Hadleigh," he whined; "let me off this time. It will ruin me for life if you put me in prison. Let me go this time."

"A likely thing!" said the policemen, grimly, as they led him out into the street.

When they were gone, Mr. Hadleigh went round the house and shop to see that all was safe, David following with a light; and when everything was secure, they went upstairs again.

"Where have you been?" was Owen's first question. "Do lift up my pillow a bit; my head is so uncomfortable."

David did as he was asked; but he looked so excited that Owen inquired again, "Where have you been?"

"Mr. Hadleigh wanted me down in the shop."

"In the night! What time is it?"

"Two o'clock."

"What could he want?"

"We caught a thief stealing the goods out of the shop. I went for two policemen, and they got hold of him."

"How dreadful it must be to be a thief; it is worse for him even than for uncle to lose his things."

"Yes, I suppose so."

"I wish he knew I did not take those things of Mr. Davenport's."

"I think he'll know soon."

"Do you? Why?"

"I expect it was the same thief all along, and the truth will come out."

To David's relief, Owen did not ask any more questions, for Mr. Hadleigh had warned him not to excite the boy, nor tell him more than was needful. But David could hardly contain himself, it had been such a strange episode in the night.

CHAPTER VI.

"POOR, YET MAKING MANY RICH."

JUST as the clock was striking five, to the great relief of both boys, Clarice softly opened the door. She sent David off at once to the sofa in the next room, bidding him get an hour's sleep as soon as he could. Then making up the fire, she speedily and skilfully made a refreshing cup of chocolate, and brought it to Owen's bedside. He looked white and wan, as he whispered softly, "There is 'no sorrow' with it, cousin Clarice, though the pain is so bad."

"Poor boy," she whispered, softly stroking his head, "I wish I could bear it for you. But Jesus knows, and He will help you through all."

"Oh, He does; He comforts me so. When I was all alone, He gave me such happy thoughts of going soon to be with Him and father."

"I hope you will not go yet awhile, Owen. But how were you alone in the night? I thought David was with you."

"He was, most of the time. But uncle called him down to help about some thief."

"Some thief!"

"Yes, David said so."

Clarice thought the boy's mind was wandering, and asked no more questions, only talked on soothingly for awhile, and then read the "keeping" Psalm to him, "The Lord is thy keeper, … the Lord shall preserve thee from all evil," till Owen seemed quite comforted by the blessed words, both in mind and body, and laid so still, that his cousin hoped he might get a short sleep.

When at last she went into the breakfast-room, she found both her father and mother there before her, considerably excited and annoyed with the affair of the previous night. She was told the whole story, and said she was not much surprised, for she had never thought Norris was trustworthy.