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hour three gens…d'arme； commanded by the sacristan of the tower； had
been thundering thereat。 He waited only to finish the last notes of
the wild Orcadian chant； and opened the door。 He was seized by the
collar； dragged down the stair into the street； and through a crowd
of wondering facespoor unconscious dreamer！ it will not do to
think on the house…top even； and you had been dreaming very loud
indeed in the church spireaway to the bureau of the police。
CHAPTER XXIV。
DEATH。
I need not recount the proceedings of the Belgian police； how they
interrogated Robert concerning a letter from Mary St。 John which
they found in an inner pocket； how they looked doubtful over a copy
of Horace that lay in his coat； and put evidently a momentous
question about some algebraical calculations on the fly…leaf of it。
Fortunately or unfortunatelyI do not know whichRobert did not
understand a word they said to him。 He was locked up； and left to
fret for nearly a week； though what he could have done had he been
at liberty； he knew as little as I know。 At last； long after it was
useless to make any inquiry about Miss Lindsay； he was set at
liberty。 He could just pay for a steerage passage to London； whence
he wrote to Dr。 Anderson for a supply； and was in Aberdeen a few
days after。
This was Robert's first cosmopolitan experience。 He confided the
whole affair to the doctor； who approved of all； saying it could
have been of no use； but he had done right。 He advised him to go
home at once； for he had had letters inquiring after him。 Ericson
was growing steadily worsein fact； he feared Robert might not see
him alive。
If this news struck Robert to the heart； his pain was yet not
without some poor alleviation：he need not tell Ericson about
Mysie； but might leave him to find out the truth when； free of a
dying body； he would be better able to bear it。 That very night he
set off on foot for Rothieden。 There was no coach from Aberdeen
till eight the following morning； and before that he would be there。
It was a dreary journey without Ericson。 Every turn of the road
reminded him of him。 And Ericson too was going a lonely unknown
way。
Did ever two go together upon that way？ Might not two die together
and not lose hold of each other all the time； even when the sense of
the clasping hands was gone； and the soul had withdrawn itself from
the touch？ Happy they who prefer the will of God to their own even
in this； and would； as the best friend； have him near who can be
nearhim who made the fourth in the fiery furnace！ Fable or fact；
reader； I do not care。 The One I mean is； and in him I hope。
Very weary was Robert when he walked into his grandmother's house。
Betty came out of the kitchen at the sound of his entrance。
'Is Mr。 Ericson？'
'Na； he's nae deid；' she answered。 'He'll maybe live a day or twa；
they say。'
'Thank God！' said Robert； and went to his grandmother。
'Eh； laddie！' said Mrs。 Falconer； the first greetings over； 'ane 's
ta'en an' anither 's left！ but what for 's mair nor I can faddom。
There's that fine young man； Maister Ericson； at deith's door； an'
here am I； an auld runklet wife； left to cry upo' deith； an' he
winna hear me。'
'Cry upo' God； grannie； an' no upo' deith；' said Robert； catching at
the word as his grandmother herself might have done。 He had no such
unfair habit when I knew him； and always spoke to one's meaning； not
one's words。 But then he had a wonderful gift of knowing what one's
meaning was。
He did not sit down； but； tired as he was； went straight to The
Boar's Head。 He met no one in the archway； and walked up to
Ericson's room。 When he opened the door； he found the large screen
on the other side； and hearing a painful cough； lingered behind it；
for he could not control his feelings sufficiently。 Then he heard a
voiceEricson's voice； but oh； how changed！He had no idea that he
ought not to listen。
'Mary；' the voice said； 'do not look like that。 I am not suffering。
It is only my body。 Your arm round me makes me so strong！ Let me
lay my head on your shoulder。'
A brief pause followed。
'But； Eric；' said Mary's voice； 'there is one that loves you better
than I do。'
'If there is；' returned Ericson； feebly； 'he has sent his angel to
deliver me。'
'But you do believe in him； Eric？'
The voice expressed anxiety no less than love。
'I am going to see。 There is no other way。 When I find him； I
shall believe in him。 I shall love him with all my heart； I know。
I love the thought of him now。'
'But that's not himself； mydarling！' she said。
'No。 But I cannot love himself till I find him。 Perhaps there is no
Jesus。'
'Oh； don't say that。 I can't bear to hear you talk so；'
'But； dear heart； if you're so sure of him； do you think he would
turn me away because I don't do what I can't do？ I would if I could
with all my heart。 If I were to say I believed in him； and then
didn't trust him； I could understand it。 But when it's only that
I'm not sure about what I never saw； or had enough of proof to
satisfy me of； how can he be vexed at that？ You seem to me to do
him great wrong； Mary。 Would you now banish me for ever； if I
should； when my brain is wrapped in the clouds of death； forget you
along with everything else for a moment？'
'No； no； no。 Don't talk like that； Eric； dear。 There may be
reasons； you know。'
'I know what they say well enough。 But I expect Him； if there is a
Him； to be better even than you； my beautifuland I don't know a
fault in you； but that you believe in a God you can't trust。 If I
believed in a God； wouldn't I trust him just？ And I do hope in him。
We'll see； my darling。 When we meet again I think you'll say I was
right。'
Robert stood like one turned into marble。 Deep called unto deep in
his soul。 The waves and the billows went over him。
Mary St。 John answered not a word。 I think she must have been
conscience…stricken。 Surely the Son of Man saw nearly as much faith
in Ericson as in her。 Only she clung to the word as a bond that the
Lord had given her： she would rather have his bond。
Ericson had another fit of coughing。 Robert heard the rustling of
ministration。 But in a moment the dying man again took up the word。
He seemed almost as anxious about Mary's faith as she was about
his。
'There's Robert；' he said： 'I do believe that boy would die for me；
and I never did anything to deserve it。 Now Jesus Christ must be as
good as Robert at least。 I think he must be a great deal better； if
he's Jesus Christ at all。 Now Robert might be hurt if I didn't
believe in him。 But I've never seen Jesus Christ。 It's all in an
old book； over which the people that say they believe in it the
most； fight like dogs and cats。 I beg your pardon； my Mary； but
they do； though the words are ugly。'
'Ah！ but if you had tried it as I'