Part 15 (1/2)

”'Dear me! dear me! I've often thought as much, Harry.'

”'Yes, grandfather, and, as you say, on the brink of the grave. Who knows but you may be called away this very night?'

”'Yes, yes, who knows, boy,' replied the old man, looking rather terrified; 'but what shall I do?'

”'I know what I would do,' replied I. 'I'd make a clean breast of it at once. I'd send for the minister and a magistrate, and state the whole story upon affidavit. Then you will feel happy again, and ease your mind, and not before.'

”'Well, boy, I believe you are right, I'll think about it. Leave me now.'

”'Think about your own soul, sir--think of your own danger, and do not mind Lady R--. There can be but a bad reason for doing such an act of injustice. I will come again in an hour, sir, and then you will let me know your decision. Think about what the Bible says about those who defraud the widow and _orphan_. Good-bye for the present.'

”'No, stop, boy, I've made up my mind. You may go to Mr Sewell, the clergyman, he often calls to see me, and I can speak to him. I'll tell him.'

”I did not wait for the old man to alter his mind, but hastened as fast as I could to the parsonage-house, which was not four hundred yards distant. I went to the door and asked for Mr Sewell, who came out to me. I told him that old Roberts wanted to see him immediately, as he had an important confession to make.

”'Is the old man going, then? I did not hear that he was any way dangerously ill?'

”'No, sir, he is in his usual health, but he has something very heavy on his conscience, and he begs your presence immediately that he may reveal an important secret.'

”'Well, my lad, go back to him and say that I will be there in two hours. You are his grandson, I believe?'

”'I will go and tell him, sir,' replied I, evading the last question.

”I returned to old Roberts, and informed him that the clergyman would be with him in an hour or two, but I found the old man already hesitating and doubting again:--

”'You didn't tell him what it was for, did you? for perhaps--'

”'Yes, I did. I told him you had an important secret to communicate that lay heavy on your conscience.'

”'I'm sadly puzzled,' said the old man, musing.

”'Well,' replied I, 'I'm not puzzled; and if you don't confess, I must.

I won't have my conscience loaded, poor fellow that I am; and if you choose to die with the sin upon you of depriving the orphan, I will not.'

”'I'll tell--tell it all--it's the best way,' replied old Roberts, after a pause.

”'There now,' said I, 'the best thing to be done is for me to get paper and pen, and write it all down for Mr Sewell to read when he comes; then you need not have to repeat it all again.'

”'Yes, that will be best, for I couldn't face the clergyman.'

”'Then how can you expect to face the Almighty?' replied I.

”'True--very true: get the paper,' said he.

”I went to the inn and procured writing materials, and then returned and took down his confession of what I have now told you, Miss Valerie.

When Mr Sewell came, I had just finished it, and I then told him that I had written it down, and handed it to him to read. Mr Sewell was much surprised and shocked, and said to Roberts, 'You have done right to make this confession, Roberts, for it may be most important; but you must now swear to it in the presence of a magistrate and me. Of course, you have no objection?'

”'No, sir; I'm ready to swear to the truth of every word.'