That was good news for Ralph—the best news that could possibly be—and escaping with Warren and Irene, he hurried across to the matron's house, and begged that he might see his chum.
Charlton was all right, only he was so excited, and just a little inclined to cry. And he wanted to know where his father was; and when Ralph explained how Mr. Charlton had given himself up, he exclaimed—
"Oh, Ralph, let us go and explain! Let us go now!"
"Come and tell my father. He will understand," said Ralph; but there was little need for telling.
Already Mr. St. Clive had been informed, and he had hurried off at once. It would not be long before Mr. Charlton was a free man.
And then Mr. Rexworth, seeing that there would be much to talk about, went back with Ralph and Irene and Charlton to Mr. St. Clive's house, there to tell his story, and explain how it was that he had become the prisoner of the man who had treated him so very cruelly.
CHAPTER XXXIII CONCLUSION
Seated in the drawing-room at Mr. St. Clive's house, an interested party gathered around Mr. Rexworth to hear his story. And not only an interested party, but a happy one, for the trouble was gone, and the sun was shining for all there. It was no wonder that, even before stories were told, Mr. Rexworth should have said, "Let us all kneel and thank our Heavenly Father for His great mercy and goodness," nor that every heart should have been filled with devout gratitude as, with bent heads, they listened to the words of thanksgiving, for, like the psalmist of old, they could say, "God hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad."