STRANGER'S MISSION FULFILLED.
IT was not until several weeks later, that entire consciousness
returned to little Dick. And then, to his great amazement, he found
himself lying in a strange bed, too weak to move either hand or foot,
whilst a cheerful looking nurse, clad in a dark dress and white cap,
cuffs, and apron, sat on a chair near the window watching him.
At first he thought he must be in some kind of hospital. But this idea
vanished when the nurse presently rose and left the room, and Mrs.
Wilkins, trembling with agitation, entered.
"Mother!" Dick's voice was feeble; scarce above a whisper—"Mother, come
here; I want you."
"Dick! O Dick, my darling, thank God you know me at last!" burst from
the widow's lips, as tears of happiness coursed one another down
her cheeks. "But don't attempt to move—there's a dear boy!—or Nurse
Millicent will think I am exciting you, and send me away."
"Where am I, mother? I don't know this place."
"Why, you're at home, Dick, to be sure."
"Home!" was the faint echo. "No, we don't live here!" and the child's
eyes wandered perplexedly from one side of the room to the other,
finally resting on the chintz curtains at the window.
"Yes, we do, Dick. This is our pretty new home. We left the old one
weeks ago, and are living in one of the cottages in Lord Bentford's
estate now. And oh, my dear, we shall never any of us suffer from cold
or hunger any more."
"Cold!" murmured the boy slowly. "Hunger! Yes, I remember all about it
now." Then making a tremendous effort, he inquired, "And the little
youngster who fell into the water—is he living?"
"Yes; and he's as well as ever he was—thanks to our good Stranger for
saving him!"
"Why am I lying here in bed, mother? I feel so weak. Have I been ill?"
"Yes, dear, you've been very, very ill; but you're much better now, and
are going to get quite well, the doctor says. That lady who was here
a minute since is a hospital nurse that Lord Bentford telegraphed to
London for when first you—you broke down. There, I mustn't talk any
longer; and you mustn't ask more questions. You shall know everything
later on, when you are stronger."
Next day, there was a marked improvement in Dick's condition; and the
doctor, when he called to see him in the forenoon, declared him to be
getting on better than he had expected.
Accordingly, when Dick and his mother were next left together, the
latter did not check the questions that came from the former's lips.
"I'll tell you all that happened, Dick," Mrs. Wilkins said. "After the
accident on the lake, both Lord and Lady Bentford came down to our
cottage, where you had been carried, and saw what a dreadful state of
poverty we were in. Nothing would satisfy his lordship but that we
should move at once into this beautiful cottage that happened to be
empty, and have everything we needed. Talk of gratitude—I believe Lord
and Lady Bentford are so grateful to you and Stranger for saving their
only child that you might both 'eat off gold,' as the saying is, if you
wanted to. We are to live here—rent free!" declared the widow. "Lord
Bentford insists upon it. He has paid for all the furniture, and given
us—oh, I can't tell what he hasn't given us! And directly my hand is
strong enough to use, I am to go up to his beautiful house every day
and work under the housekeeper."
"Mother, 'tis like a dream! Only, I don't want to wake up ever again,
if it is."
"Hark!" said his mother. "Do you know that sound—that 'scratch,
scratch,' outside the door?"
"Stranger!" breathed the sick boy, his blue eyes brightening. "May he
come in and see me?"
"If you feel well enough to see him. His spirits are higher than ever,
I do believe!"
So saying, Mrs. Wilkins went to the door, and let the retriever in. And
a minute later, the faithful dog was clasped in his master's arms.
"Why, whatever's this?" demanded Dick, when he had blinked the tears of
weakness from his eyes. "He's got on a silver collar! And—and there's
writing engraved on it. Read it, mother; please do!"
"It says that the collar was presented to him by Lord and Lady
Bentford, in grateful recognition of his splendid service in saving
their only child from drowning," explained Mrs. Wilkins.
"Brave Stranger!" exclaimed little Dick. "Mother, don't you feel proud
of him?"
"Yes, dear," was the prompt answer; "but I'm prouder still of you."
"Of me!" breathed the boy. "Why, mother, I've done nothing, though I
did try all I could to earn some coppers that morning by putting on
folks' skates!"
"You cheered and heartened me, Dick," sobbed the woman, "when, but for
your faith in God's mercy, I should have sunk beneath my load."
"God sent that dog to our door," said Dick. "I always felt certain of
that! He meant him to bring us good fortune; and sure enough he has!"
THE END.
PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN AT
THE PRESS OF THE PUBLISHERS.