FOR more than six weeks old Jasper had been lying at rest up on a sunny slope in the Helmstone Cemetery; and in the meantime his shed was pulled down, and men busily at work were digging out the foundations for a new and improved block of buildings, to stretch right away from Preece's Place to the adjoining street beyond. Forbes, acting on the instructions given him by Jasper, had arranged everything; and after paying two or three little debts and all funeral expenses, found a nice balance of nearly £30 in hand for the boys. Consulting with Mr. Armstrong, he decided to put it by for the present in the Post Office Savings Bank, after buying a little clothing for the lads—an absolute necessity, for Rob's feet were almost through to the ground, and his trousers persistently refused to hang together any longer.
Of course any pressing needs must be met, for such surely would have been Jasper's wish; but it would be nice to have a little money in hand, to give the lads a start one day. Though indeed Phil seemed to have made his start at Mr. Cross's, and was already raised a shilling per week. Mrs. Mellor, too, had obtained two or three days' regular work every week, so that altogether their prospect was brightening.
Time, the great healer, had already done wonders in soothing the sorrow caused by Jasper's death, and Rob would stand watching with keen interest all that was going on in the new building, forgetting for the time the happy memories of the past associated with the spot. But when he went to the cemetery, the old grief would wake up again; and many a time had he been found lying on Jasper's grave, and sobbing as though his little heart would break. But this was only sometimes; and when at day or Sunday School he was the same bright, happy lad as before.
To him and Phil had come one great joy. Ever since Jasper's death their mother had gone with them every Sunday evening to their much-loved Mission Hall; she was getting quite known there now, and some of the folk had been to see her.
But one day who should come but Mr. Armstrong himself! Neither Phil nor Rob was at home—much to their grief, when they heard he had been; but it was Mrs. Mellor he wanted, and after a few words of kindly inquiry he made known the purport of his visit.
"Mrs. Forbes is finding the work up at the Hall too much," he said. "It's a large place altogether to keep clean, and it is so much used that it needs constant scrubbing; so I came to see if you could give her regular help, I mean in the way of the cleaning. Of course you wouldn't be wanted every day; but I daresay altogether it might come to nearly three days a week. At all events, I can offer you seven shillings a week to do what is required in the time that will suit you best."
Mrs. Mellor was delighted. "It's the very thing I want," she said; "and I'll be only too thankful to do it; and then I think, perhaps, I might move into a better place than this, and get things a little bit more comfortable round me for my boys; for I was never used to being like this."
"I thought as much," said Mr. Armstrong; and then gently and kindly he drew from her the story of her life, and the burden of its sin, that now lay so heavily upon her. "It is a burden," he said, when she had finished; "but one that you needn't bear another moment, for Jesus offers to take it from you now."
"That's what Phil says," she replied; "but I don't seem to see how."