Adam never could tell how it was that he managed to get out the question, but he next found himself inquiring about Mr. Drummond's mother, to whom he had alluded as "a hard-working woman."
"I beg your pardon, sir," said he, "but was your mother one that 'gave up'?"
The manager hardly understood Adam's meaning. He hesitated, then said, "Gave up what?"
Livesey's features worked in a most peculiar manner, as if he might be engaged in the manufacture of words by which to make his meaning clear. After a struggle, he answered, "I'm not sure whether I can tell you, sir. But mother was left a widow with three of us, and nobody to help, and she was like somebody that has too much weight on them. She bent under her troubles, and had a grave face and a down-trodden look and way with her. Things were very dull at our house, and I am sure it was because, as mother said, she 'just gave up.'"
By dint of thinking and questioning, Mr. Drummond at length realised Adam's meaning. "I see," he said. "Now I can answer you. My mother would have been one of the last to give up. She worked bravely and steadily. She set us an example of cheerfulness, and cheered us when we were inclined to break down. With a mother leading her children in the right way, and always looking up with her bright face heavenward, we children could hardly help following, could we?"
"But what did she look up for, sir?"
A glance at the questioner showed Mr. Drummond that Adam made the inquiry in perfect good faith.
"I do not mean that her eyes were always looking up. She had to keep those on her work, in a general way. I meant that her thoughts were turned heavenwards. She remembered God's many promises to the weary, the troubled, the widow and the fatherless, and believing that they were meant for her, and that He was faithful that had promised, the faith cheered her, and she looked for their fulfilment, and taught us to do the same; only I, for one, was a careless scholar."
Adam answered something, but the words meant little.
The slight allusion made to God's dealings with His children had carried the striker out of his depth already.