Johnny Ludlow, Second Series

s true. She holds to it that when the eyes have a sad, mournful expression naturally, their owner is su

brown eyes." The sad expression was in the eyes: that was certain: thoughtful, dreamy, and would have been painful

n. Thomas was apprenticed to a doctor in Birmingham, who was also a chemist and druggist. Tom had to serve in the shop, take out teeth, make up the physic, and go round with his

as against him. Some would have called it fate, Mrs. T

daughters. Failing money for theatres and concerts, knowing no friends to drop in to, young fellows drift anywhere for relaxation when work is done. Mrs. Bates, a good old motherly soul, as fat as her best pig, bade him run in whenev

andsome then; but, judging by what she was later, we thought it must have been a very broad style of beauty. The Miss Bateses were intended by their mother to be useful; but they preferred being stylish. They played "Buy a broom" and other fashionable tunes on the piano, spent time

were his home, and he and Susannah struck up a friendship that continued all the

ful squabbling between the sisters. The portion of money said to be due to Miss Susannah was handed over to her with a request that she sho

gist's assistant: and, later, set up for himself in the shop at Timberdale. For the first ten years of his married life, he was always intending to pass the necessary examinations: each year saying it should be done the next. B

. Benjamin fell in with bad companions; a lapse that, in course of time, resulted in his coming home, changing the note in our letter for the stolen one, and then decamping from Timberdale. What with the blow the discovery itself was to Rymer, and what with the concealing of the weighty secret-

hop as usual, growing to look more and more like a ghost. Which Darbyshir

ve the customers. She could make up prescriptions just as well as he, and people grew to trust her. They had a good business. It was known that Rymer's drugs were genuine; had direct from the fountain-head. He had give

look of innate refinement. Margaret belonged to his side of the house; there was not an atom of the Brummagem Bateses in her. The Squire, who remembered her grandfather

wn cloak with a showy cotton handkerchief tied on her head was waiting for it.

he woman, as Margaret handed her the bo

pence. Th

d from the door to inquire, as if the state o

y bad cold, and is lying in bed to-da

or and went into the parlour. Mrs. Rymer sat t

u listen to the

inder me?" responded Mrs. Rymer.

y father for a

eave the shop for that.

Margaret. "Call me, plea

omas Rymer lay back in the easy-chair by his bit of bedroom fire. He looked as ill as a ma

were getting up," said Mar

reply, for the room was over the shop

was my mother

re all the afternoon

e is writin

her son Benjamin. That Benjamin was random and must be getting a living in any chance way, or not getting one at all, and that he had never been at home for between two and

aid Margaret. "You are not wel

ather quickly; and

ls me-it may end in my becoming a confirmed

r. Darbyshire says so," she answer

life has been only a trouble throughout, Margaret; but I

n his earlier years; then came the long drudgery of his apprenticeship, then his marriage, and the longer drudgery of his after-life. An uncongenial and unsuitable marriage-and he had felt it to the backbone. From twenty to thirty years had Rymer toiled in a shop late and early; never taking a day's rest or a day's holiday, for some one must always be on duty, and he had no help or substitute. Even on Sundays he must be at hand, lest h

hair was short and hers long, he might have put on a lace cap, and sat for her portrait. He was the eldest of the children; Margaret the youngest,

the matter of that, as a child, Ben was rather pretty. He grew up and turned out wild; and it was just as great a blow as could have fallen upon Rymer. But when that horrible thing

compense hereafter. Looking at Thomas Rymer's face as the fire played on it-its goodness of expression, almost that of a martyr; remembering his prolonged battle with the world's cares, and his aching heart

e in this after

y well

hed. "When I

aret!

the world. In spite of her having been brought up to the "shop," there had always been som

e much above the counter. Margaret served it at once: the liquorice, being often in demand,

he had written to London for some drug they were out of. "And there's my mother's

s. Rymer. "Ain't it almost time you had the

letter into the post in Salmon's window, and ran back again. She stood for a moment at the door, looking at a huge lumbering caravan th

Margaret?

s her. Margaret started back with a cry. She would have clo

ses the child! Do

this, that it had been what she fancied-some rude stranger, who in another moment would have passed on and been gone f

he old fol

ightly trembling. "My mother is well as usual.

e heard. Upstairs a g

f his time

ttends

d

r knowledge of rhubarb to good use

at it is. Mr. Darbyshire says"-she dropped her voice a

If a woman came in with a brok

that he has most at heart,"

ut me. I am as steady as old Time, Maggie. I've c

stay!" falte

ngs here. I am better a

e," said Margaret, steadily. "He has confidenc

Maggie; you'd be more in your place stitching wristbands in the parlo

as honest-natured as her husband; and the matter of the bank-note, the wrong use made of the keys she was foolish enough to lend surreptitiously to Mr. Benjamin, had brought her no light

her, and turned. "Where on earth have

he governor was on the sick list, I th

mer. "That has not brought you here. Y

ing else," said Ben: and he spok

ok, there was Rymer, fallen against the counter in his shock of su

im a little-that is, the stir made over it, of which he had contrived to get notice; since then he had been passably steady, making a living for himself in Birmingham as assistant to a surgeon and druggist. He had met Rober

o that-neither was he privy to it; but he did get persuaded into trying to dispose of one of the stolen notes. It had been the one desperate act of his life, and it had sobered him. Time, h

er's shop, a white apron on, and serving the customers who went in, as naturally as though he had never left it. Whe

overy, giving a greater chance day by day that it might never happen, could but have a beneficial effect on Mr. Rymer. But when B

. Mr. Rymer would come down when he was not fit to do so, and take up his place in the shop on a stool. Ben made fun of it: in sport more than ill-feeling: telling the customers to look at the old gh

he human heart can know like that brought by rebellious children. To old Rymer, with his capacity for taking things to heart, it had been as a long crucifixion.

n from the talking and laughing, and became as good as gold. You might have thought he had taken his dead grandfather, the clergyman, for a model, and was s

amin?" his father a

the earnestly-spoken answer. "Forget the pa

tronger, and was in business regularly, which gave Ben more leisure for his books. It was thought

hen any one was ailing at home, Mrs. Todhetley would administer a dose of these pills. But that Rymer was so conscientious a man,

Pills. Mr. Rymer and his son stood behind the counter, the one making up his books, Ben pounding something in a mortar. Wi

Halloa, Ben! All right

tone not over-steady. They came from a man who wore sporting clothes, and hi

t the gentleman had taken a little too much of something strong. He swaggered up to the counter, a

oiced stranger. "Been to Birmingham and all kinds o

rowled Ben, who certainly did

orld; its folks are too down for me. I say, I wa

ed Ben, rath

en," resumed the strang

one sounded more like I won't. "

lt if you make me speak before people. Gibbs has

it, I'll come to you," interru

one hand, and took off his apron with the other. Getting hi

hat man,

to know in Tewk

s his

him and be back again," conc

consciousness between us, understood though not expressed, since the night when I had seen him giving way to his e

right now,

t as though he were striving to atone for the pas

ld forg

n cheeks, "and I trust you never will know. I never went to bed at night but to lie listening for a summons at my door-the officers searching f

treet when I went out, probably to be out of the reach of eavesdroppers. Th

hem in crossing over. "What do you come after me for? When a fe

I went home with the pills, and

down. In the midst of it, who should present himself at Crabb Cot at midday but Lee, the letter-carrier. His shaky old legs

never been in boisterous spirits since the affair of the bank-note took place. Like a great many more peopl

f the storm, L

let me get to see the Sq

rd him, Lee, begin to say something about the bank-note and Benjamin Rymer. An instinct of the truth flashed over me-as sure as fate someth

good note and put in the bad one?" he e

between his hands. The Squire had put his back against the bureau and was sta

on, incensed at Rymer's not helping him to some money-which was what he had come to Timberdale to ask for-had told

ing himself into his bureau chair, which he twisted round to face t

lf, the landlord, had been told it by Cotton himself, and Jelf in his turn had whisp

t believe a syllable of

one off without paying part of his score, leaving nothing but a letter to say he'd send it. Cotton by name, Jelf explained, and a sporting gent to look at. A good week, Jelf vowed he'd

ooked down upon you for it, or suspected you: neither J

d, sir. And he told me this news

up," cried the Squire. "If you believe t

was then. He must have got access to the letters somehow, while they lay at his father's that night, and opened yours and change

of the thieves who robbed the butcher's ti

one of the stolen notes was given to young Rymer to pass, and

uld hardly le

Jelf, did he?-and Jel

. Just th

First of all, to whom hav

. "I thought I'd better bring

of what might transport him, on the authority of a drunken fellow who runs away from an inn without paying his bill! The likeliest thing is that this

colour was at its fiercest. He was hard at the best of times to take in extraordinary tales,

rosecuting, sir. It would s

pon this cock-and-bull story! Mr. Rymer would prosecute me in turn, I expect,

ust know how wild

he Squire, in his heat. "Mine had better not let me catch them at it, though. I'd war

etest corner for fear of being sent away. When the S

ou take care of your tongue. Look here, man: suppose I took this up, as you want me, and it was found to have been Cotton or some other gaol-bird who did it, i

struck me," returned Lee, veering round to the argument. "One thing that made m

f the ease with which he could do it. Forgive you for coming up, you say?" added the Squire, as Lee rose with some humble words o

ver do," said Lee,

not. It's cold t

ful col

e your sense another time, Lee. Here, Johnny, take Lee into t

s at it, for she was in the midst of pastry-making. The Squire was sitting wi

ind. Do you recollect Thomas Rymer's coming up one

well,

re now that there's not

bing in which I had found Rymer that same night in the Ravine;

y, very much taken aback. "It's that, per

as slowly kil

e ought to be when our sons turn out well, and not ill! But I think a good many turn ou

have tried to bring Ben

r, Johnny; and she spoilt him. Take care, sir, how you choose a wife when the time comes. And there was

'll live t

ice and glancing round the room. "I wouldn't bring fresh pain on po

that I

world about Thomas Rymer's ears. I knew his father and respected him, Johnny; though his sermons were three-quarters of an hour long, sometimes; and I respect Thomas Rymer.

"oughts" don't go for much in the world; as perha

tters as usual, I went out to him. He dropped

njamin Rymer

whe

out of Ti

for w

my pains. He said that what he had told me wasn't meant to be repeated again, and I ought not t

said yesterday,

as much as seen them. Any way, he said, somebody had, for they knew of it, and Benjamin had gone off in co

fast I related this to the Squire. He didn't

am a magistrate. You must go. See Rymer: and make him understand-without telling him in so many words, you know-that there's nothing to fear from me, and he m

g gone out in the storm of the previous day and caught a chill. He was in the parlour alone,

whispered. "I have come

ess tone. "Benjamin has run away. He got some information, it seems, f

vately, Mr. Rymer, to say that Ben might

re knows

g for listening to such a tale; he means to blow up Jelf for repeating anything said by a vagabond like Cotton. Lee came round to his

ire's friendly feeling, but thought it was out

the first time a syllable in regard to it had passed between us," broke off Rymer. "Jelf had given him a friendly hint of what had dropped from the man Cotton-

re i

knows the truth; that is quite clear. He says he has spoken only to Lee;

t, Mr. Rymer. Why should yo

So far as mental illness goes, we may battle with it to the end, strength from above be

d to be an ague. Mrs. Rymer appeared with some sca

nt in his scarlet coat and white cords on his fine grey horse (the whole a mass of splashes with the thaw) pulled up at

iserable five-pound note, Johnny!" he cried i

aditional time of appearing, the dusk of evening, was drawing on-went the Squire. He thought Ry

out of the house as the Squire reached it, and said so. Instea

't have people dying off like this for nothing. If y

ing?" asked Darbyshire,

ent. Because a man gets a bit of anxi

ght a chill through going out that day of the snow-storm, an

cure the chill!

s neither killing nor curing," was the answer. "I told them ye

Thomas Rymer lay in bed at the far end; his white face whiter than the pillow; his eyes sunken; his hands plucking a

to save you from this," cried he, in the s

sure coming," said Thomas Rymer, his faint fingers resting in the Sq

make a bit of an effort to live? To please me: I knew y

ys of my life been. Nothing but disappointment has been my lot here; struggle upon struggle, pain u

us of it when he brought up the letters at breakf

n their parents," he said later. "Rymer has been brought down to the grave by his son b