The old man seated himself, and paused for a moment to wipe his forehead with his red handkerchief and regain his breath, for he had walked quicker than was his wont. Then he said, "Did Robin not tell you about the lost sovereign?"
"No," replied the widow, turning pale at the thought of her son being suspected of a theft. "Indeed, he has had no time, for I went out directly he got back this evening. Pray tell me about it."
The gardener accordingly proceeded to recount the story of the missing money as he had heard it in the kitchen that morning.
"You don't think Robin touched it, do you?" said his listener, aghast and trembling.
"No," replied her true-hearted friend, "I don't, for I believe he is honest to the backbone; but, for all that, there is something wrong with the boy, Mrs. Campbell; and I've failed as yet to find it out. I can only see he is miserable and unhappy; and I've a notion that cook has beguiled him into underhand ways. I have long suspected this, but could prove nothing until this evening, when I watched him return by a short cut over the fields to fetch a basket from the back premises."
"He brought no basket here, Mr. Jonathan. Of course I should have seen it if he had," added the poor woman hotly, for she felt her temper rising.
"Then he did not come straight home," said the gardener.
"Oh yes, he did; he was in much earlier than usual, and there was nothing in his hand."
The conversation continued until it was suddenly interrupted by Corrie's voice in merry chatter as Robin brought her in. Jonathan was the last person he expected to see, and he looked both ashamed and foolish on perceiving him seated by the fire. The boy's guilty fears, bred of an accusing conscience, nearly made him drop his sister after lifting her from the carriage. Mrs. Campbell saw the look, and, taking Corrie from his arms, she carried her into the adjoining room to put her to bed.
"Robin," said Jonathan sternly when they were left alone, "tell me the truth at once: what did you do with that basket I saw you fetch from the house?"