It was in vain that Rob pleaded that Mary had been a faithful servant. The fact remained that Mrs. Cornhill had been missing article after article from the household ever since the girl had come to work for her. She had not spoken of this at first, as she had been so favorably impressed by her that she had hesitated about accusing her of such misdoings. Finally, after watching and waiting for weeks, she had felt obliged to act in the matter.
Deacon Cornhill was now so far recovered from his recent illness as to sit up in his great easy-chair, though he was but a shadow of his former genial self.
“Don’t be hard on the gal, Mandy,” he said, compassionately. “No doubt she was driven to it. The articles were not worth very——”
“Tweren’t the wurth, but the principle in it,” snapped his wife. “Arter the way I treated her, to hev the idle hussy turn on us just at this time of all others,” and the good woman fell to crying.
“Don’t break down, Mandy,” said he, but his own voice was husky and Rob was sure there were tears in his eyes.
Mistaking the cause of this emotion Rob spoke more hopefully, when he learned that he and his friends were not alone in their misfortunes, as disaster had overtaken this family. It proved that Deacon Cornhill had become responsible for large sums of money through another individual, and this person proving worthless, he was held for the full amount. When paid, practically every dollar would be swept away, and he and his family would be turned out of their home penniless.
“The earnings of two lives, my father’s and mine, are thus lost, and Mandy and I are homeless and friendless; for, at this time, when we need our friends most, there is not one to speak a consoling word. I eenamost wish the fever had done its work, for I had rather been laid in my grave than to have lived to see this day.”
“Oh, Elihu! it is wicked to talk like that,” said his wife. “But it is dreadful to be robbed of our home at this time in life.”
Rob went away feeling that he was not alone in his misfortunes, and when he told the others at Break o’ Day good Deacon Cornhill had several sincere sympathizers, if they were helpless to aid him.
The arrest of Mary, who was then taken to jail, where she must remain until her trial, nearly two months later, cast a gloom over the entire party, as they could do nothing for her.