Part 23 (1/2)
The suffering man moved uneasily and groaned.
”Father, I'm so sorry as you're hurt. Don't you know your little Cherry?”
”d.i.c.kie, d.i.c.kie!” said the man despairingly.
”Do you want d.i.c.kie?” asked Cherry, trembling.
”No, no, no; only I wish he hadn't been hurt. d.i.c.kie, d.i.c.kie!”
”Father,” said Cherry, gathering courage from Jem's eyes, ”father, you know as I and d.i.c.kie pray to the Lord Jesus?”
The miserable man seemed to be listening.
”Well, father, we asked Him to find some one to take care of d.i.c.kie, and--”
”They'll have him again,” broke in the man. ”I said as I'd give 'im over to 'em, and they'll hold to 'im. It ain't a bit o' use. Oh, I can't talk to yer. Oh, my dreadful pain! To think d.i.c.kie should ever suffer like this; and I took no heed of it when I might.”
”But, father,” said Cherry, restraining her tears by a violent effort, ”there's stronger than them as has d.i.c.kie in hand. Don't ye see that Jesus is stronger than them?”
The man only groaned afresh.
”And Jesus has heard me and d.i.c.kie askin' Him, and He's found us such a nice home. Father, 'ull you be willin' to give us to those as is so good to us?”
”Who?” asked the man, for the first time opening his eyes.
”To me,” said Jem, coming close. ”I've taken 'em from old Sairy, and they shan't ever go back, if you'll say as you will let me and Meg be their guardians.”
The poor dying eyes were eagerly scanning Jem's face; they returned to Cherry's as if satisfied.
”Their mother was a good woman,” he said.
”So Cherry tells me. We'll do our best to teach them to be good too.”
The man turned his head away as if he had done with the subject, and indeed with all earthly things. Then, just as Cherry and Jem were looking at each other in dismay, he roused himself once more.
”You may 'ave 'em,” he said.
Jem signed to the nurse to draw near.
”Tom Seymour,” he said solemnly, ”do you make my wife and me guardians of your two children, Cherry and d.i.c.kie?”
”Yes,” said the man distinctly; ”and G.o.d grant as you may keep the charge better'n I've done.”
”G.o.d will help us,” said Jem, taking the hand which lay outside the counterpane; ”and, my friend, G.o.d will help _you_. If you turn to him now He will receive you.”
The man drew away his hand with impatient pain.
”That's past for me,” he said between his teeth.
”No, it isn't, father,” exclaimed Cherry. ”If Jesus 'as been so good to you as to take d.i.c.kie away from old Sairy, don't ye think as He can be kind enough as to take you from Satan?”