Clark laughed a little. “No,” he said, “she never knew anything about it, except what she read in the paper.”
“Well, she will know about it to-morrow,” said the little lady decidedly.
When the carriage stopped at Clark’s door, she again took the lad’s hand.
“Think what a shadow would be upon our home to-day, but for you,” she said, with a glance at her little daughter. “It is a debt that we can never repay, but, at least, let us have the pleasure of seeing you and your mother sometimes, at our home. I have often asked Charlie why you never came to our house, as so many of the other boys do; I know the reason, now.”
Mrs. Clark wondered a little when her son told her that Charlie Reed’s mother would call upon her the next day. She was not at all pleased, since she was living in the utmost seclusion, feeling almost as keenly as did her son the cloud of disgrace that rested upon them. But when she learned from Mrs. Reed what Stanley had done, when she saw the tears of deep feeling in the eyes of her visitor, and felt the warm pressure of her hands, how could she help being proud and happy?
Clark would have liked to stay away from school that next day, but it would never do to bring down his record by an absent mark. He went as late as he dared, however, but the instant he entered the room he saw that the boys were waiting for him, and in spite of the fact that Mr. Horton was already at his desk, a shout broke from the whole class at sight of the schoolmate, whom they were now as eager to honor as a year ago they had been to hurt and annoy.
“Three cheers for Clark!” shouted the irrepressible Reed, actually jumping up on his seat in his excitement, and the cheers were given with a will, while Clark, blushing and confused, bowed his thanks and dropped hastily into his seat.
“Well,” remarked Mr. Horton, looking slowly about the room, “may I ask what this means? What have you been doing, Clark, to awaken all this enthusiasm?”
“Nothing at all, sir. It’s just the boys,” stammered Clark.
“Yes,” said Mr. Horton dryly, “I’m quite aware that it was just the boys.” But now Reed, trying to keep his enthusiasm within bounds, told the story in a few graphic words.