Part 39 (2/2)
”He is a V. C. man. He's coming to see me one day,” said Ronald.
”I know,” said Giles. ”It's real supporting to 'ave a brave father. I have one too.”
”Have you?” said Ronald. ”And is he coming to see you one day?”
”No--I'm goin' to 'im. Don't let's talk about it now.”
Ronald sat down on the side of Giles's crimson and gold bed, and glanced round the room. Connie lit a paraffin lamp and put it on the table. In his first excitement at seeing Giles, Ronald forgot the mad terror which had awakened in him at the sound of Uncle Stephen's voice. But now he remembered.
”I have come to stay,” he remarked emphatically.
”Oh no, Ronald, you can't,” exclaimed Connie.
”I am not going back,” exclaimed Ronald. ”Giles, I needn't, need I?
There's a dreadful man coming to-morrow, and he's going to take me away from my darling aunty. I won't go. I'll hide here with you, Giles.”
”Will yer?” said Giles. ”That 'ull be real pain to yer aunty, won't it?”
”Real pain?” said Ronald. ”But Connie can tell her. Connie needn't say where I am. She can just tell that I heard Uncle Stephen's voice, and that I am hiding. I can't go back, can I, Giles--can I?”
”Dunno,” said Giles; but a wistful expression came into his face.
”Why do you look like that?” asked Ronald.
”Sometimes one 'as to do things one can't do,” was Giles's next rather difficult remark.
”But this is really silly,” said Ronald, ”for we can do the things we can do.”
”Course not--not by ourselves,” said Giles. ”But if we're to endure to the end, why, 'E'll help.”
”You remind me of that awful fire,” said Ronald.
He jumped up and walked across the room. His eyes were dim; his heart was beating with great rapidity, for he was still weak and had gone through much. Oh, that cruel, cruel old man who had made his mother cry so often! He thought upon him with a growing terror.
Connie looked at Ronald, and then she glanced at Giles and her eyes said to Giles:
”Help me all you can about Ronald.” Then Giles called her to him.
”Leave Ronald with me for a bit,” he said. ”Go back and tell Mrs.
Anderson; but leave little Ronald with me.”
Connie immediately went out; but Ronald was so absorbed in trying to quiet his beating heart, and in trying to recover his courage, that he did not even know when she closed the door after her.
Connie ran as quickly as she could all the way to Carlyle Terrace. There she rang a loud peal at the front door. It was Mrs. Anderson herself who opened it to her.
”Oh Connie!” said the widow, ”thank G.o.d! Have you brought news of Ronald? What _has_ happened, Connie--what _has_ happened?”
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