Robert Falconer

nterfering with the quietness upon which he believed that the true effect of his labours in a large measure depended, he would not have scrupled simply to carry off the child. With much

by individual influence. He had little faith in societies, regarding them chiefly as a wretched substitute, just better than nothing, for that help which the neighbour is to give to his neighbour. Finding how the unbelief of the best of the poor is occasioned by hopelessness in privation, and the sufferings of those dear to them, he was confident that only the personal communion of friendship could make it possible for them to believe in God. Christians must be in the world as He was in the world; and in proportion as the truth radiated from them, the world would be able to believe in Him. Money he saw to be worse than useless, except as a gracious outcome of human feelings and brotherly love. He always insisted that the Saviour

uled in the earth. But he supported his unbelief by no other argument than a hopeless bitter glance at his empty loom. At this moment he sat silent-a rock against which the noisy waves of a combative Bible-reader were breaking in rude foam. His silence and apparent impassiveness angered the irreverent little worthy. To Falconer's humour he looked a vulgar bull-terrier barking at a noble, sad-faced staghound. His foolish arguments against infidelity, drawn from Paley's Natural Theology, and tracts about the inspiration of the Bible, touched the sore-hearted unbelief of the man no nearer than the clangour of negro kettles affects the eclipse of the sun. Falconer stood watching hi

ound of his footsteps la

d strength, and mind; though not in that poor creature's argumen

oner. I haven't laughed so for years.

well-meaning, and because his conceit has made a fool of

pitalfields weaver ought to be like the cats: they

on't like it. Only they fo

ir? You don't know an

itterness, De Fleuri-and f

. When he spoke again, there was a

and see my po

e like to

w go near her. He may worry me as he pleases; but sh

using help-for your daughter

not be obliged to his fellow. Falconer

's all right. I only want to leave the whole affair behind; and I sincerely hope there

better, too, if all you see were all there is to be seen. But I di

you, for I won't interfere with wh

coner. 'Could that man fail to believe in Jesus C

oner found her lying on a wretched bed. Still it was a bed; and many in the same house had no bed to lie on. He had just come from a room overhead where lived a widow with four children. All of them lay

tey, how

ter, th

Only extremes met in it-the hopelessness had turned through quietude into comfort. Her ho

e a tap a

id Falconer,

m. She started, and hesitated for a moment when she saw him. He rose, thinking

going to have a chat with your father, and

f his voice she started again, left the bedside and came towards him.

said, holdin

dle age were present on her forehead. But she was statelier, nobler, and gentler than ever. Falconer looked at her calmly, with only a still swelling at the heart, as if they met on the threshold of heaven. All the selfishness

, Robert!' wa

ed quietly. 'We may

s we can hel

lconer. 'I have a girl I d

e. I will take

But I must come a

e I live,' she said, giv

orrow,' sa

leuri, as he entered his room again. 'She don

thing, filled the place with the mournfulness of death.

liberty with you, Mr

ease, Mr.

you the only fau

es

house. Whether you believe in God or not, you

est antidote to unbelief, and an open door out

hand up and down his empty pocket. It was

oney: sympathy, for instance. Y

no sympa

you had, if you

serable. If I believed as you do

rret. The poor little things are tormented by the ra

i laughe

cept I pull down some of those laths. A

ou ask some

t ask a

't mind as

don't know the bit

t you wouldn't accept for yourself. Of course I could send in a man to do it; but if you would

r. If it wasn't for the misery of

go poking my nose into other people's aff

please

ell him how he had been brought up, describing the country and their ways of life, not excluding his adventures w

en't half done yet. I am not fond of b

uld only manage a

ught had only just struck him-'come home with me,

t excuse

't accept a neighbour's invitation to a cup of tea-fo

I don't choose to be taken in. You know very well it's

have to you

that don't m

g equals? Supposing, as you will have it, t

pe so

istory? But I forgot: I have told you hardly anything yet. I have to tell you how much nearer I am to your level than yo

tey,' said the we

still. I will ask her to

, which he judged the safest meal for a stomach unaccustomed to food, he told him about his grandmother, and about Dr. Anderson, and how he came to give himself to the work he was at, partly for its own sake, partly in the hope of finding his father. He told him his only clue to finding him; and that he had called on Mrs. Macallis

kept a secret,

ip. But I do not mind how many respect

th a vague hope

r the people who lived in that and the neighbouring houses-in no case, however, except of sickness, or actual want of bread from want of work. Thus did Falconer appoint a sorrow-made infidel to be the almoner of his christian charity, knowin

ith perfect confidence and kindness, but there was no reference made to the past. She told him that she had belo

dress yesterday. I had got used to it, and did not fe

associated with the individual heart, without intervention of class or

old her a

be done with her. I know a good many people who without being prepared, or perhaps

er; 'for I find my means of help reach but a little way. What had I b

. If you will accept invitations, you will soon know a

efficiency to rescue himself from it, began such a course of study as would fit him for the profession of the law. Gifted with splendid