Margaret M. Robertson

“ She came upon him before he was aware.
“Mamma! you here? How did you come? On the track?”
“No; I followed you round by the willows and below the bridge. How quiet it is here!”
The high embankment of the railway on one side, and the river on the other, shut in the spot where David sat, and made it solitary enough to suit him in his moodiest moments, and his mother saw that he did not look half glad at her coming. But she took no notice. The great stones that made the edge of the abutment were arranged like steps of stairs, and she sat down a step or two above him. ”

“ Philip, dear lad, it is a wonderful thing to be a soldier and servant of the Lord Jesus. It is a service which satisfies—which ennobles. All else may fail us, or fetter us, or lead us astray. But, belonging to Christ—being one with Him—nothing can harm us truly. Are you to lose all this, Philip? Letting it pass by you—not thinking about it?”
She had no time to add more, nor had he time to answer her, even if he could have found the words. For first David came in, and then Jem, all black and dirty from the forge, and, proud of it, evidently. ”

“ David laughed at himself when he called up the figure of Jem, with bared arms and blackened face, busy amidst the smoke and dust of some great work-shop, going here and there—doing this and that at the bidding of his master. A very hard working world Jem would no doubt find it; and, as he thought about him, David made believe content, and congratulated himself on the quiet and leisure which the summer evenings were bringing, and made plans for doing great things in the way of reading and study while they lasted. ”

“ But it ain’t what one has got, so much as what one has done, that makes life pleasant to look back upon.”
“It is pleasant to have plenty of money, too, however,” said Jem.
“And people can do good with their money,” said Violet.
“Yes, that is true; but money don’t stand for everything, even to do good with. Money won’t stand instead of a life spent in God’s service. Money, even to do good with, is a poor thing compared with that. Money won’t go a great ways in the making of happiness, without something else.”
“Would you like to live your life over again, Miss Bethia?” asked Violet. ”

“ She longed to say just the right word to him, but hitherto her words had fallen like water on the rock, which, in the first gleam of sunshine, disappears. He always listened, grave or smiling, as the occasion seemed to demand. He listened with eagerness, pleased at her interest in him, pleased to be treated like one of the children, to be praised or chidden, and, for all that she could see, as well pleased with the one as with the other. As she sat watching him in silence, Mrs Inglis thought of Violet’s complaint against him. “He is not in earnest. He cares only for his own pleasure.” ”

“ Such a life as would have given comfort to your father, if he had been here to see it? Have you been keeping your armour bright, David?”
“I have been trying, Miss Bethia,” said David.
“Well, it is something to have been trying. It is something not to be led away. But have you been content with that? You have a battle to fight—a work to do in just the spot you stand in, and if you are faithful, you may help that unstable youth to stand on firmer ground than his feet have found yet.”
David shook his head.
“You don’t know me, Miss Bethia, nor him, or you would not say that.” ”

“ And as for Hobab, he must have been a good and brave man, as David says, and so the chances are he went with the people, thinking less of what he could get for himself than of what he could do for others, as is the way with good and brave men.”
“Like the people we read about in books,” said Jem.
“Yes; and like some of the people we meet in real life,” said his mother, smiling. “The men who even in the eyes of the world are the best and bravest, are the men who have forgotten themselves and their own transitory interests to live or die for the sake of others.” ”

“ But when tea was over, and Violet had told him all they were doing at Gourlay, and all they were enjoying there, she began to ask him questions in return, and, before he knew it, he was telling all the sad story of the last few weeks, and was looking with wonder at his sister’s astonished and indignant face. For astonishment was Violet’s first feeling—astonishment that such a thing could have happened to Davie, and for a little, it was stronger even than her indignation.
“And haven’t you the least idea what may have become of the money, Davie? Don’t you have any suspicion of any one?” ”

“ You may believe me, sir.”
“I do not know what to believe,” said Mr Oswald. “It seems unlikely that you should be tempted to do so foolish and wrong a thing. But I have been deceived many a time. Who could have taken it?”
“It was not I,” said David, quietly, and while he said it he was conscious of a feeling of thankfulness that he had not seen Mr Oswald in the first angry moment after he had known of his suspicion. An angry denial, he felt now, would have availed little.
“Papa, begin at the beginning and tell Davie all about it. ”

“ Mrs Inglis smiled.
“Is it not possible that he may wish it for your sake rather than his own? And how do you know that you hate business? You have never given it a fair trial, have you?”
“No, I have not tried it steadily,” said he, answering her last question first. “But then one can tell what one does not like without trying it very long. I dare say my father thinks it would be a good thing for me to fix myself at the bank. But a man must judge for himself before he submits to be tied down for life.” ”

“ In her heart Miss Bethia knew that it was quite as well for all concerned that she was to be left behind, still it pleased her to hear David’s wish. She had had a pleasant summer as well as the rest; but she was not so strong as she used to be, and needed quiet.
“Debby and I will tough it out together through the winter,” said she; “and, like as not, those of us who are spared will have to make all their plans all over again. It will be all right, whichever way it is.” ”

“ And she watched and waited, and took needful rest that she might keep calm and strong to the very end; and the dying eyes never rested on her face but they read there, “God is good, and I am not afraid.”
And so the time wore on till the last night came. They did not know it was the last night; and the mother lay down within call, for an hour or two, and David watched alone. Will he ever forget those hours, so awful yet so sweet?
“It is ‘the last evening,’ Davie, lad!” said his father, in gasps, between his hard-drawn breaths. “Strong, but not invincible! Say something to me, dear.” ”

“ She told David of one and another who had spoken to her of his father, blessing his memory, because of what he had done for them and theirs, in the service of his Master, and then she said—
“It is the only true and worthy life, Davie—a life of work for the Master. Is it to be yours, my boy?”
“Yes, mamma. In one way or another, it is to be mine. Whether it is to be as papa’s was, I cannot tell.”
“That may come, dear. It is so blessed to feel that our times are in His hands. It would be great happiness to know that my son might give himself to the work of preaching the Gospel as his father did. ”

“ And a great many more were mentioned.
“But, aunt,” said Frank, “you said like a great many people we meet in real life. I don’t believe I know a single man like that—one who forgets himself, and lives for others. Tell me one.”
“Papa,” said David, softly. His mother smiled.
“It seems to me that all true Christians ought to be like that—men who do not live to please themselves—who desire most of all to do God’s work among their fellow-men,” said she, gravely.
Frank drew a long breath.
“Then I am afraid I don’t know many Christians, Aunt Inglis.” ”

“ To stand is victory.”
“Yes, I see,” said Frank.
“It means victory to stand firm when an assault is made, but they who would be ‘good soldiers of Jesus Christ’ have more to do than that. His banner must be carried to wave over all the nations. The world must be subdued to Him. And when it is said, ‘Be strong,’ it means be strong for conquest as well as for defence.” ”

“ While Davie, with the impatience of youth, grew anxious now and then, as though the sowing time were passing with no seed being put in, his mother knew that there was nothing lost to his future work as yet, that the discipline of early care and self-denial, the constant and willing giving of himself to work, which in itself was not congenial, was a better preparation than he knew. ”

“ Aunt Bethia,” said Jem.
“Politeness ain’t the only thing to think of,” said Miss Bethia.
“Violet is not quite at our disposal just now,” said Mrs Inglis; “and I am afraid you will be missed up there, dear, by the children. They have had the fever, too, poor little things, and their sister is away, and they hardly know this aunt yet, and Violet has charge of them. They are fond of Violet.”
“Oh, yes! they are all fond of Violet up there; but so are we,” said Jem. “Let her stay, mamma.” ”

“ It would be very pleasant, but—”
“Why not send all together?” said Philip. “Ned and Jessie and wee Polly, with Charlotte and Sarah? I dare say they would all be better of a change, poor little souls!”
“I dare say they can do without it, thank you,” said Violet, stiffly.
“For what? My suggestion? They would like it, I am sure.”
“People cannot get all they like in this world.”
“Violet,” said Frank, solemnly, “I believe you are cross.”
“I am almost afraid I am,” said Violet, laughing uneasily.
“For the first time in your life. Something dreadful must have happened at the bridge house to-day!” ”

“ Mrs Inglis smiled as though she would have said, “There are not many like my Davie.” But she looked grave in a minute and said—
“There is one thing in which you differ. Davie is an avowed servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. He professes to desire to live no longer to himself, but to Him.” ”

“ Jem shrugged his shoulders, and made a grimace.
“Singleton might suit Mr Caldwell to do business in, but I wouldn’t fix myself in Singleton if I were you.”
“Nonsense, Jem,” said David. “There is no better place than Singleton for that business, everybody knows.”
“And, besides, Philip is well-known here,” said Mrs Inglis.
“I am not sure that it is a better place for me because of that, Aunt Mary; but it is as good a place as any, I suppose, in which to begin with a small capital.”
“Pooh! about capital! The only men in the country worth their salt began life without a dollar. ”