"I hope you will not go yet awhile, Owen. But how were you alone in the night? I thought David was with you."
"He was, most of the time. But uncle called him down to help about some thief."
"Yes, David said so."
Clarice thought the boy's mind was wandering, and asked no more questions, only talked on soothingly for awhile, and then read the "keeping" Psalm to him, "The Lord is thy keeper, ... the Lord shall preserve thee from all evil," till Owen seemed quite comforted by the blessed words, both in mind and body, and laid so still, that his cousin hoped he might get a short sleep.
When at last she went into the breakfast-room, she found both her father and mother there before her, considerably excited and annoyed with the affair of the previous night. She was told the whole story, and said she was not much surprised, for she had never thought Norris was trustworthy.
"I know you never liked him," said her father; "but I thought it was only a girl's fancy. How is Owen this morning?"
"In great pain. This accident might never have happened but for Norris. I saw him push Owen just as he was stepping down; and having his arms full, he could not save himself."
Mr. Hadleigh went in to see the boy, before he went round to the police-court, and stayed some little time with him.
Owen asked to be sent back to Westbrook; he was sure some there would care for him for his father's sake; and he had not forgotten his uncle's words in the train, that if anyone could not work they had no right to live.