Just at this moment Teddy's mother arrived. She had heard all the particulars concerning the arrest and subsequent release, therefore began at once to sympathize with her son.
"Then you know what the deacon is goin' to do?" Teddy asked.
This was something of which Mrs. Hargreaves was ignorant, but upon being told, appeared even more distressed than her son, thus increasing instead of lightening his troubles.
CHAPTER XXIX.
THE TESTIMONIAL.
It was impossible for Teddy to follow Tim's advice to "loaf around."
His heart was so full of sorrow that his greatest desire was to go where those who might believe he had been a partner of the burglars could not see him; but since that was impossible, if he intended to obey the deacon's injunctions and present himself at the grand stand at the specified time, the next best thing was to remain behind the booth where his mother tried her best to cheer him.
"It can't be possible that anything to your disadvantage has occurred, Teddy," she said as she held his hand for mutual sympathy. "Mr. Reaves would have sent me word at once if that had happened."
"Perhaps he doesn't know about it. Uncle Nathan may have been talking with the deacon again, an' turned him against me."