Part 33 (1/2)

”I'm not satisfied as all's right,” said Jacob to himself, ”and yet I cannot tell what's amiss.”

That night his sleep was restless and disturbed. Once he fancied that his door was opened, and that his master appeared and drew back again.

Their rooms were on the opposite sides of the same landing. Again he fancied, or dreamt, that a hand pa.s.sed under his pillow, where he kept his nuggets. It was quite dark--he started up and felt for the bag; it was there quite safe, and he laid him down again. But yet again he seemed to feel a hand behind his pillow.

”I must have been dreaming,” he muttered to himself; ”the bag's right.”

Yes, there it was all right when he rose in the morning. He was to start by an early train, so, hastily dressing himself, and having breakfasted, he came to say farewell to his master.

”Oh, Mayster Frank,” he said, grasping the other's outstretched hand, ”I'm heavy at the heart at leaving you. I cannot tell why, but there's a weight like lead upon me. Oh, dear Mayster Frank, for my sake, for your own sake, for the sake of all them as loves you, will you promise me to keep off the drink, leastways till I come back? Will you pray the Lord to help you, Mayster Frank? He _will_ help you, if you'll pray honestly.”

What was it that affected his unhappy master so powerfully? Frank's whole frame shook with emotion. He stared at Jacob with a gaze of mingled remorse and agony such as touched the other to the quick.

”Jacob,” gasped his master, at last, ”I cannot let you go thus--you don't know--I've--I've--” He paused for a moment, and tears and sobs burst from him. Then he sat down, and bowed his head on his knees, clasping his hands tightly together. Then an unnatural calmness followed; he muttered something to himself, and then said, in a tone of affected indifference and gaiety,--

”There, it don't matter; the best of friends must part. You'll be back before so very long, and I'll try and be a good boy meanwhile.

”Just call up the landlady, Jacob, and we can see her take charge of your nuggets.”

Jacob did as his master bade him.

”There, Mrs Jones,” he said, taking the bag hastily from Jacob's hands; ”this bag of nuggets belongs to my man. You see it contains gold,” he added, opening the mouth of the bag, and taking out a small nugget; ”there,” tying it up with the string which he had removed from it, ”he'll know where to look for them when he comes back. We've the fullest confidence, Mrs Jones, that they will be safe in your keeping.”

”Indeed, sir,” said the landlady, curtseying, ”I'd rather _you_ should keep them.”

”No, no, Mrs Jones; Jacob knows very well that you're to be trusted, but that I'm not.”

”Oh, sir!” exclaimed Mrs Jones; but she was at a loss what farther to say, for she felt that poor Frank spoke only the sober truth. At last she said,--

”Well, sir, I'll take charge of them, as you both seem to wish it, and I'll take care that no one sees where I put them.”

And so Jacob and his master parted.

Ten days pa.s.sed by, and then Jacob, downcast and weary, made his way to the lodgings. His heart died within him at the expression of the landlady's face when she had opened the door to him, and found that he was alone.

”Where's Mr Oldfield?” he gasped.

”That's just what I was going to ask you, Mr Poole.”

”What! you don't mean to say he's left your house?”

”He has indeed,” was the reply. ”I've seen nothing of him since the day after you left.”

”Seen nothing of him!” exclaimed Jacob in complete bewilderment; ”but has he sent you no message--no letter?”

”No, Mr Poole, he's neither sent nor written. He paid me all he owed me up to the last night he slept here, and that's all I know.”

”And has he left no message, nothing to tell one where he's gone?” asked Jacob.

”Nothing,” she said, ”unless this letter's from him--it came a few days ago.”

Jacob seized it, and tore it open. When he had read a few lines he let it drop upon the floor, and stood gazing at it as though some strange fascination glared out from it upon him. Then he took it up again, read it deliberately through, laid it on the table, and sitting down, burst into an agony of weeping. The letter was as follows:--