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right。 Them pusses is mannyfactered express for the convenience o'
the fakers。 Take my advice； sir； and keep a yellow dump （sovereign）
in yer coat…tails； a flatch yenork （half…crown） in yer waistcoat；
and yer yeneps （pence） in yer breeches。 You won't lose much nohow
then。 Good…night； sir； and I wish you better。'
'But I must give you something for plaster；' I said。 'You'll take a
yellow dump； at least？'
'We'll talk about that another day；' said Job； and with a second
still heartier good…night； he left me。 I managed to crawl up to my
room； and fell on my bed once more fainting。 But I soon recovered
sufficiently to undress and get into it。 I was feverish all night
and next day； but towards evening begun to recover。
I kept expecting Falconer to come and inquire after me； but he never
came。 Nor did he appear the next day or the next； and I began to be
very uneasy about him。 The fourth day I sent for a cab； and drove
to John Street。 He was at home； but Mrs。 Ashton； instead of showing
me into his room； led me into her kitchen； and left me there。
A minute after； Falconer came to me。 The instant I saw him I
understood it all。 I read it in his face： he had found his father。
CHAPTER XII。
ANDREW AT LAST。
Having at length persuaded the woman to go with him； Falconer made
her take his arm； and led her off the bridge。 In Parliament Street
he was looking about for a cab as they walked on； when a man he did
not know； stopped； touched his hat； and addressed him。
'I'm thinkin'； sir； ye'll be sair wantit at hame the nicht It wad be
better to gang at ance； an' lat the puir fowk luik efter themsels
for ae nicht。'
'I'm sorry I dinna ken ye； man。 Do ye ken me？'
'Fine that； Mr。 Falconer。 There's mony ane kens you and praises
God。'
'God be praised！' returned Falconer。 'Why am I wanted at home？'
''Deed I wad raither not say； sir。Hey！'
This last exclamation was addressed to a cab just disappearing down
King Street from Whitehall。 The driver heard； turned； and in a
moment more was by their side。
'Ye had better gang into her an' awa' hame； and lea' the poor lassie
to me。 I'll tak guid care o' her。'
She clung to Falconer's arm。 The man opened the door of the cab。
Falconer put her in； told the driver to go to Queen Square； and if
he could not make haste； to stop the first cab that could； got in
himself； thanked his unknown friend； who did not seem quite
satisfied； and drove off。
Happily Miss St。 John was at home； and there was no delay。 Neither
was any explanation of more than six words necessary。 He jumped
again into the cab and drove home。 Fortunately for his mood； though
in fact it mattered little for any result； the horse was fresh； and
both able and willing。
When he entered John Street； he came to observe before reaching his
own door that a good many men were about in little quiet
groupssome twenty or so； here and there。 When he let himself in
with his pass…key； there were two men in the entry。 Without
stopping to speak； he ran up to his own chambers。 When he got into
his sitting…room； there stood De Fleuri； who simply waved his hand
towards the old sofa。 On it lay an elderly man； with his eyes half
open； and a look almost of idiocy upon his pale； puffed face； which
was damp and shining。 His breathing was laboured； but there was no
further sign of suffering。 He lay perfectly still。 Falconer saw at
once that he was under the influence of some narcotic； probably
opium； and the same moment the all but conviction darted into his
mind that Andrew Falconer； his grandmother's son； lay there before
him。 That he was his own father he had no feeling yet。 He turned
to De Fleuri。
'Thank you； friend；' he said。 'I shall find time to thank you。'
'Are we right？' asked De Fleuri。
'I don't know。 I think so；' answered Falconer； and without another
word the man withdrew。
His first mood was very strange。 It seemed as if all the romance
had suddenly deserted his life； and it lay bare and hopeless。 He
felt nothing。 No tears rose to the brim of their bottomless
wellsthe only wells that have no bottom； for they go into the
depths of the infinite soul。 He sat down in his chair； stunned as
to the heart and all the finer chords of his nature。 The man on the
horsehair sofa lay breathingthat was all。 The gray hair about the
pale ill…shaven face glimmered like a cloud before him。 What should
he do or say when he awaked？ How approach this far…estranged soul？
How ever send the cry of father into that fog…filled world？ Could
he ever have climbed on those knees and kissed those lips； in the
far…off days when the sun and the wind of that northern atmosphere
made his childhood blessed beyond dreams？ The actualthat is the
present phase of the ever…changinglooked the ideal in the face；
and the mirror that held them both； shook and quivered at the
discord of the faces reflected。 A kind of moral cold seemed to
radiate from the object before him； and chill him to the very bones。
This could not long be endured。 He fled from the actual to the
source of all the idealto that Saviour who； the infinite mediator；
mediates between all hopes and all positions； between the most
debased actual and the loftiest ideal； between the little scoffer of
St。 Giles's and his angel that ever beholds the face of the Father
in heaven。 He fell on his knees； and spoke to God； saying that he
had made this man； that the mark of his fingers was on the man's
soul somewhere。 He prayed to the making Spirit to bring the man to
his right mind； to give him once more the heart of a child； to begin
him yet again at the beginning。 Then at last； all the evil he had
done and suffered would but swell his gratitude to Him who had
delivered him from himself and his own deeds。 Having breathed this
out before the God of his life； Falconer rose； strengthened to meet
the honourable debased soul when it should at length look forth from
the dull smeared windows of those ill…used eyes。
He felt his pulse。 There was no danger from the narcotic。 The coma
would pass away。 Meantime he would get him to bed。 When he began
to undress him a new reverence arose which overcame all disgust at
the state in which he found him。 At length one sad little fact
about his dress； revealing the poverty…stricken attempt of a man to
preserve the shadow of decency； called back the waters of the
far…ebbed ocean of his feelings。 At the prick of a pin the heart's
blood will flow： at the sight ofa pin it wasRobert burst into
tears； and wept like a child； the deadly cold was banished from his
heart； and he not only loved； but knew that he lovedfelt the love
that was there。 Everything then about the worn body and shabby
garments of the man smote upon the heart of his son； and through his
very poverty he was sacred in his eyes。 The human heart awakened
the filialreversing thus the ordinary proc