"I will take Frank on directly, if he will come,"
said Walter.
At length his health failed so much that the medical men recommended him to return to his native country, and, if possible, to his native village. Frank wrote to Mr. King, who had, at that time, recently given up his business to Walter.
"Read this, Walter," said Mr. King, without further comment, "and tell me what you think of it, and what had better be done."
Walter read it through, and did not take a moment to consider.
"I will take Frank on directly, if he will come to me," he said.
Mr. King sent money out for his passage home, and Frank returned to Springcliffe.
He was greatly changed, and he found great changes in his native village. His father was dead, and his mother had removed to a distant part of the county. Walter alone seemed unchanged. He received his former companion with real kindness, and shielded him, so far as lay in his power, from any unkindness on the part of his fellow-workmen. He gave him constant employment, and, by degrees, Frank's health improved considerably; but he never was himself again; and the want of a little more education when he was a lad prevented his ever rising above the rank of a common workman.
If not a very skilful, he proved, at least, a very trustworthy servant towards his master, towards whom his gratitude knew no bounds.
"It has all come true!" he would say to himself, with a sigh, as he contrasted his inferior position with that of Mr. Walter White, now one of the most prosperous men in Springcliffe.