Chapter III: New Arrivals at "the Nest."

ANN WILLIS'S terrible death caused great excitement in the quite little town, and all the miserable details in connection with it were repeated from house to house. It served to turn the people's minds from their own troubles for the moment, but the inquest was quickly succeeded by a pauper's funeral, which, however, had a large following, and then nearer anxieties drove old Ann out of mind.

It was known that the coroner had spoken sharply about those who had supplied her with drink until she was unable to take care of herself. The bridge was broad and firm, with a stout hand-rail and barrier at one side. The merest child, the weakest old lady, might have crossed it safely by day or night, and when Ann Willis fell from it the full moon was shining brightly overhead. But she had been allowed to drink herself blind and helpless, and then been turned out, as it were, to die. So Halesford people expressed a hope that Binns at the Black Swan would get his licence marked for it, and whispered amongst themselves that Mr. James had been to blame, though he might mean to be kind.

This was a fortnight before Christmas and still the frost held; the men were idle and their families were straitened for bread.

Next, Halesford folk were startled with the news that Mr. James Burton was gone away and no one knew when he would return. Mr. Duff was, as usual, ready with a reason for his departure.

"Mr. James was terribly cut up about old Ann," he said, "and it grieved him to hear of so much distress. If I had but a fall purse, or even one half full,' says he to me, 'I would stay and help while I had a sixpence left. But I have neither, Duff, and I must go away for a while. I cannot stop to see trouble which I am powerless to remove.' He borrowed a shilling from me to give to a poor woman that came begging into the shop, and he went away with his handkerchief to his eyes. He is a very feeling gentleman. I'm afraid he was often imposed on, but he means well, and he has a good heart at the bottom."

Scarcely, however, had Mr. James taken his departure when a couple of strangers came and dismantled the pretty little house hitherto occupied by him, and carried away the whole of its contents. As they had been seen in communication with Lawyer Smart, it was plain they knew what they were about, so the neighbours could only wonder and gaze inquiringly at the closed shutters of the empty house.

It seemed as if Mr. James might be gone for good, but, though he might set up housekeeping elsewhere, he would certainly come to the Hall, from time to time, when Mr. Burton returned. Duff would not see his shilling back again at present, but there was comfort in remembering that the woman to whom it was given promptly exchanged it for bread, which diminished the possible loss.

But the baker and others besides him blamed Mr. Burton more than they did his brother for keeping away from Halesford during these hard times.

"Mr. James said he would have helped us if he could. Mr. Burton might help us, if he would," were oft-repeated sayings. Then, when things seemed at the worst, relief came. The Rector of Halesford and the minister of its one place of worship, beside the gray old church, both received communications from some unknown friend, and food and warm clothing were soon forthcoming for the sustenance and comfort of all who were really in need. Relief was given wisely, for the two good men who were entrusted with the pleasant task well knew the circumstances and characters of those with whom they had to do. Joy and thankfulness took the place of heaviness and gloomy fears. The people thanked God for sending them this timely aid, and, grateful to the unknown, earthly benefactor, would fain have expressed their feelings to him also, but they were kept in ignorance of his name.

Of course, Duff had decided opinions on the subject.

"I am confident that Mr. James is at the bottom of it. Seeing that he could not find money himself, he has stirred up some of his great friends in London to make a collection for Halesford poor. It was next best to giving, and one man cannot do everything," he said.

A few agreed with the baker, but their faith was rudely shaken by a report that Mr. James's furniture had been seized under a bill of sale, and that, if he had not gone away when he did, he might not have had the chance of going at all.

Little Mrs. Brown, whose bright, kind face told of the gladness in her heart, said she was sure that whoever had sent money for the suffering people had been moved to do it by Him without whose knowledge not a sparrow falls to the ground.

"We can thank God," she said, "and ask Him to bless the kind earthly friend who has been His instrument in sending plenty and comfort to poverty-stricken homes."

"You say 'We,'" replied one of her neighbours. "You have no call to join, because you wanted nothing, and have been able to do something for those that did."

"Well, then, haven't I more cause still to be thankful?" she answered. "And if I had not, I should have a poor, narrow, selfish spirit in me if I could not rejoice when good comes to my neighbours."

Truly the dear little woman realised that God's children are members one of another. She was as full of thankfulness as if she had been the most needy amongst those relieved, and she sent up her hymn of praise to God with heart and voice.

Christmas was a week nearer them when Mr. James turned his back on Halesford. To the astonishment of the inhabitants, large furniture vans were seen in front of "The Nest," as the pretty house, lately inhabited by him, was called. The vans looked like those into which Mr. James's household goods had lately been packed. Could they be the same conveyances bringing back the furniture?

Doubts were soon set at rest. Mr. Burton's steward set several women to work to prepare the rooms, and in an astonishingly short time the Nest had all its pretty furniture replaced. Except that it had a rather formal, unused look, and the smell of cigar smoke was entirely absent, it presented its old appearance.

There was a stir at the Hall too, which indicated that Mr. Burton must be coming to keep Christmas there, and Duff said it was just as well, for the big pew had been empty long enough on Sundays.

As Mr. James, when at Halesford, was supposed to share the pew with his brother, Duff did not compliment him by his allusion to its emptiness; perhaps he thought of the implied censure on his favourite, for he added, "I've often heard Mr. James say that people oughtn't to be judged merely by their church-going, and that he believed in a man both praying and doing good in secret, for which he had the Scripture to back him, you know."

It was very annoying, but Duff never could get over Mrs. Brown. The little woman listened on this occasion with her usual patience. But she shook her head when Duff paused, and, though she did not contradict him, she spoiled the effect of his speech by replying, "It is quite right and according to the Bible, that those who love God should like to get away, even from their nearest of kin, and in a quiet place open their whole hearts to Him. There are times when you cannot take wife or husband, child or friend along with you, except in your hearts and words. And Jesus Himself set the example of going away on to the mountain side, or the desert places, for prayer of this kind. But I never can believe that those who love to pray in secret will not love to pray in God's house also, and with His people. To use one blessed privilege and neglect another is like taking breakfast and leaving dinner. You'll not find a healthy, hungry stomach do that. Neither will you find the soul that has an appetite for heavenly things neglect to seek for food when it's there for the having."

Duff found it hard to answer Mrs. Brown. Besides, in his own mind, he was beginning to doubt whether he had after all formed a correct judgment of Mr. James Burton's character. But he had upheld him so long that it would be very humiliating to own that he was mistaken. It was certain that Mr. James had shown little reverence either for God's house or His day, and that he seldom spent the Sabbath as a season of refreshment for soul or body. On the contrary, there was certain to be bachelor visitors at the Nest, and the servants there were kept at work ministering to their many wants. They had complained of this state of things, standing before Mr. Duff's counter, and wished they were at the Hall, where servants had a chance of a quiet Sunday, instead of at the Nest.

The baker was not sorry that a little rush of customers prevented him from answering Mrs. Brown, especially as conscience told him that her sober judgment came nearer the truth than his own.

Halesford people looked for Mr. James back again. Christmas fell on the Wednesday that year, and on the Saturday evening the carriage from the Hall was at the station, doubtless to meet Mr. Burton.

He arrived, but not alone. He was accompanied by a lady, young and fair, though very sad and worn-looking, and a beautiful sunny-haired child, whose face bore a strong likeness to that of Mr. James. They drove straight to the Nest, where they all got out. Then the luggage-cart came up, and left the greater part of its contents there, before conveying the remainder to the Hall.

Some one overheard Mr. Burton say to the lady, "Welcome home, Agnes. I trust you will be very happy with your dear child. You will be quite safe here, and none can disturb or molest you. The servants are trustworthy, and personally known to me. And now, my dear sister, try to forget the sorrows of the past, and look forward hopefully to a brighter future."

The young lady could hardly speak her thanks, but she took Mr. Burton's hand in hers, and prayed that God would bless and reward him. And she lifted her little one, and bade the child kiss her uncle, which she did, clasping her chubby arms round his neck, and then patting his cheek in such a pretty truthful way that Mr. Burton seemed as if he could hardly bear to part with her.

He dined at the Nest, and then went home to the Hall, whilst Halesford folk, as was natural, were longing to know who these new arrivals might be, for Mr. Burton had no sister of his own, though he had been heard to call the lady by that name.