He took
it for granted that somehow or other she must be right. Only what a
terrible thing such righteousness was! He stood and wept before the
lady.
Her heart was sore for the despairing boy. She drew him to a little
summer-seat. He entered with her, and sat down, weeping still. She
did her best to soothe him. At last, sorely interrupted by sobs, he
managed to let her know the fate of his 'bonnie leddy.' But when he
came to the words, 'She's burnin' in there upo' granny's fire,' he
broke out once more with that wild howl of despair, and then,
ashamed of himself, ceased weeping altogether, though he could not
help the intrusion of certain chokes and sobs upon his otherwise
even, though low and sad speech.
Knowing nothing of Mrs. Falconer's character, Miss St. John set her
down as a cruel and heartless as well as tyrannical and bigoted old
woman, and took the mental position of enmity towards her. In a
gush of motherly indignation she kissed Robert on the forehead.
>From that chrism he arose a king.
He dried his eyes; not another sob even broke from him; he gave one
look, but no word of gratitude, to Miss St. John; bade her good-bye;
and walked composedly into his grandmother's parlour, where the neck
of the violin yet lay upon the fire only half consumed. The rest
had vanished utterly.
'What are they duin' doon at the fact'ry, grannie?' he asked.
'What's wha duin', laddie?' returned his grandmother, curtly.
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