“Good night, Haggarty,” Davis’ voice was saying, “don’t be so down, man! What can you expect after letting you share our good times so long, but that we should want a little work out of you some day? All play and no work makes Jack a poor boy, and you’ll just have to let us have that signature. If we make a handsome thing out of it, you go halves, and you certainly couldn’t ask anything more. Perhaps you don’t realize that you’re a little mixed up with us already, one of us, to all intents and purposes, and we could make that plain enough if we chose. We have a claim upon you, mind that.”
Tom plunged on into the darkness hardly knowing or caring which way he took; not a star was to be seen, not a footstep stirred the stillness after Davis’ tread had died away.
Suddenly that echo of Aleck’s words came again, ringing in his ears, “Some One who always sees; who never thinks it beneath him to notice.”
Tom pressed his hands to his forehead. No, no, he could not think of that! He dared not think of it now! If he had only held on to it once! If he could only think, now, that he had one friend who cared for him!
CHAPTER XXX.
The clouds that had made the night so dark were all gone the next morning, and the sun shone brightly as Aleck called at the doctor’s to get Thorndyke over to the store early; he wanted to look over some papers preparatory to the new business arrangement, and he knew evening was no time for Thorndyke to undertake extra work.
Old Joan’s face glowed with pride and delight at what was going on, but she tried her best to conceal it.
“It’s no favorin’ the wee bairn,” she said, “to fling a’ the doors wide, and tak him into the very heart o’ the establishment. Ilka customer that casts a shadow inside kens he has been the heart and soul o’ it a’ for years, an’ it’s only acknowledging the truth before the world, to put his name where a’ can read it. And I’m persuaded it is ower muckle to bring upon a pair o’ shoulders like his the whole burden o’ sic a house, wi’ the lives and health o’ half the city, and a’ the wisest o’ the doctors dependin’ on him to fill their needs, and Mr. Aleck steppin’ aside, and offerin’ nae muir help, whatever the pinch may be!”