Young Sam Twitter had risen with the intention of going out when the missionary entered, for words of truth only cut him to the heart. But his companion whispered him to wait a bit. Soon his attention was riveted.
While he sat there spell-bound, a shabby-genteel man entered and sat down beside him. He wore a broad wide-awake, very much slouched over his face, and a coat which had once been fine, but now bore marks of having been severely handled—as if recently rubbed by a drunken wearer on whitewashed and dirty places. The man’s hands were not so dirty, however, as one might have expected from his general appearance, and they trembled much. On one of his fingers was a gold ring. This incongruity was lost on Sam, who was too much absorbed to care for the new comer, and did not even notice that he pushed somewhat needlessly close to him.
These things were not, however, lost on Reggie North, who regarded the man with some surprise, not unmixed with suspicion.
When, after a short time, however, this man laid his hand gently on that of Sam and held it, the boy could no longer neglect his eccentricities. He naturally made an effort to pull the hand away, but the stranger held it fast. Having his mind by that time entirely detached from the discourse of the missionary, Sam looked at the stranger in surprise, but could not see his face because of the disreputable wide-awake which he wore. But great was his astonishment, not to say alarm, when he felt two or three warm tears drop on his hand.
Again he tried to pull it away, but the strange man held it tighter. Still further, he bent his head over it and kissed it.
A strange unaccountable thrill ran through the boy’s frame. He stooped, looked under the brim of the hat, and beheld his father!
“Sammy—dear, dear Sammy,” whispered the man, in a husky voice.
But Sammy could not reply. He was thunderstruck. Neither could his father speak, for he was choking.
But Reggie North had heard enough. He was quick-witted, and at once guessed the situation.
“Now then, old gen’lm’n,” he whispered, “don’t you go an’ make a fuss, if you’re wise. Go out as quiet as you came in, an’ leave this young ’un to me. It’s all right. I’m on your side.”