At length the store, enormous as it was, was exhausted.
“That’s the lot, sir,” shouted George, as he sent up the last bagful. “If you’ll kindly let down that there rope, I’ll come up too.”
“All right,” said the Colonel, “put the skeleton back first.”
“Well, sir,” answered George, “he looks wonderful comfortable where he lay, he du, so if you’re agreeable I think I’ll let him be.”
Harold chuckled, and presently George arrived, covered with filth and perspiration.
“Well, sir,” he said, “I never did think that I should get dead tired of handling gold coin, but it’s a rum world, and that’s a fact. Well, I niver, and the summer-house gone, and jist look at thim there oaks. Well, if that beant a master one.”
“You never saw a masterer, that’s what you were going to say, wasn’t it? Well, and take one thing with another, nor did I, George, if that’s any comfort to you. Now look here, just cover over this hole with some boards and earth, and then come in and get some breakfast. It’s past eight o’clock and the gale is blowing itself out. A merry Christmas to you, George!” and he held out his hand, covered with cuts, grime and blood.
George shook it. “Same to you, Colonel, I’m sure. And a merry Christmas it is. God bless you, sir, for what you’ve done to-night. You’ve saved the old place from that banker chap, that’s what you’ve done; and you’ll hev Miss Ida, and I’m durned glad on it, that I am. Lord! won’t this make the Squire open his eyes,” and the honest fellow brushed away a tear and fairly capered with joy, his red nightcap waving on the wind.
It was a strange and beautiful sight to see the solemn George capering thus in the midst of that storm-swept desolation.
Harold was too moved to answer, so he shouldered his last load of treasure and limped off with it to the house. Mrs. Jobson and her talkative niece were up now, but they did not happen to see him, and he reached his room unnoticed. He poured the last bagful of gold into the chest, smoothed it down, shut the lid and locked it. Then as he was, covered with filth and grime, bruised and bleeding, his hair flying wildly about his face, he sat down upon it, and from his heart thanked heaven for the wonderful thing that had happened to him.