MISS PEGGY'S DAUGHTER
LADY MARGARET BROWNING kept her word and called again. This time
she came rather later in the afternoon, shortly before the boys
returned from school, and Mrs. Mead remembered to tell her that her
mother's old nurse occupied one of the attics.
"Oh, I've heard my father mention her!" she cried; "he was speaking
of her only the other day, and wondering if she was still living.
My mother loved her ever so dearly. Oh, please, please let me
see her!"
So it came about that when the boys arrived home, on going straight
upstairs to Mrs. Winter's attic, as they usually did to fetch Stray
for a walk before tea, they found Lady Margaret Browning there.
She was seated close to Mrs. Winter, and the two were talking of
"Miss Peggy." Stray, standing with his head resting on her knee,
was looking up into her face approvingly.
"Come in, both of you!" Mrs. Winter said, as the boys stood
hesitating in the doorway; and they obeyed, Jackie following
his brother shyly.
Lady Margaret rose and shook hands with Bob, then she kissed Jackie,
and, seating herself again, drew the little fellow close to her and
kept her arm around him whilst she talked to the others.
Jackie stood very still, every now and again glancing up into the
sweet, fair face of Mrs. Winter's visitor, which, each time he did
so, smiled tenderly at him. So this was the lady who had given Bob so
much money in return for her brooch. Yes, she was wearing the brooch
now. As his eyes noted it she put up her hand and touched it.
"I've had the fastener made safer," she said to Mrs. Winter. "Oh, I
was so delighted to get it back! I shall always feel thankful to Bob
for having found it."
"I'm so glad I did," said Bob, adding quickly, "I don't mean because
of the reward."
"Aunt Martha's kept all the money!" Jackie stated abruptly.
"She's going to keep it for me till father comes back, then I'm going
to give it to him," Bob explained; "but I'd have liked to have spent
a little of it. I wanted to give Jackie a toy horse, and Mrs. Winter
something."
"I take the will for the deed, Bob," smiled Mrs. Winter.
By-and-bye, Lady Margaret rose to leave, and Bob accompanied her
downstairs. Mrs. Mead bustled out of the shop into the passage
on hearing them talking. Lady Margaret, who had come on foot, asked
if Bob might go with her as far as the street where she meant to take
a tram.
"Certainly, my lady," Mrs. Mead replied; "he'll be proud and pleased,
I'm sure."
Bob was indeed proud and pleased as he walked along by Lady
Margaret's side. She asked him many questions about Mrs. Winter,
and he told her all he knew about her, and how wonderfully kind
she had been to Jackie and him.
"Aunt Martha didn't understand about Jackie," he explained;
"she thought he was naughty because he always cried when she put him
to bed. It was not that—he was frightened. But now he isn't
frightened any more because Mrs. Winter's taught him Jesus is with
him. If it's ever so dark he doesn't cry now."
"Oh, Bob, how glad you must be!" Lady Margaret said earnestly.
"I hope Jackie will always remember Jesus is with him. We all need to
remember that, don't we, because life is so dark sometimes? Then it
is such a comfort to know there is One in the darkness to cling to,
and that out weakness may become strength through Him."
They had reached the tramline now, after having passed through
several back streets, but there was no tram in sight. Lady Margaret
glanced at her watch, then said—
"See, here is a nice toyshop! Tell me what sort of horse you meant
to give Jackie, I should like to buy one for him."
"Oh, how kind of you, my lady!" cried Bob. "Oh, thank you,
thank you!"
He followed her into the shop. Quickly the purchase was made, wrapped
in brown paper, and placed in Bob's arms. By that time a tram was
coming, and they had to hurry from the shop. A minute later Bob was
standing alone on the pavement, and Lady Margaret Browning had gone.
Jackie was almost overwhelmed with Joy and gratitude when he saw the
present Lady Margaret Browning had sent him by his brother.
"Oh, Bobbie!" was all he said at first, but the sight of his glowing
face, as he knelt on the kitchen floor examining the toy, told of the
feelings he could find no words to express. "Well, now, this is
certainly very kind of Lady Margaret," remarked Mrs. Mead, who was
standing by; "she must have taken a fancy to you, Jackie. Bob, do you
know she thinks your father will have the Military Cross—he's almost
sure to, she says."
So it was no great surprise when a few days later news came that the
boys' father had indeed won the medal, and many were the warm
congratulations Mrs. Mead and her young nephews received.
"Your father deserves it," Tom Smith said to Bob heartily; "I want
you to tell me more about him—I like hearing of people who do brave
things. I say—" he reddened as he spoke—"I suppose you've heard that
Stray saved my little sister from drowning?"
"Yes. And I've seen the collar your father gave him; it's a beauty."
Tom nodded. He was silent a minute, then he said—
"Look here, I told a lie about that ruby brooch, I never saw it till
you had it in your hand after you'd picked it up. I'm sorry now I
behaved as I did about it. Do you believe me?"
"Yes," Bob answered, much astonished. "Say no more about it!"
he added, observing that Tom really looked ashamed of himself.
"All right!" Tom agreed, "I'm sure I don't want to!" He paused
hesitatingly, then asked: "Can't we be friends?"
"Perhaps, if you stop bullying and telling lies," Bob replied
doubtfully.
"Oh, well," Tom said, his countenance brightening, "I'll see what
I can do!"