Chapter V: Dick's Interview with the Colonel

UPON Dick's stating the nature of his business at Leigh Grange, he was admitted at once and shown into the library, a handsomely-furnished room, the walls of which were lined by rows and rows of books. For many minutes he was left alone, and during that time, he feasted his eyes on his surroundings. At length, however, he heard a footstep, and a second afterwards Colonel Flamank came in.

"Good-evening," said that gentleman, in pleasant tones. "What do you want with me, little boy?"

"Please, sir, I've brought back the match-box that you lost some weeks ago," said Dick Wilkins, his heart beating so loud that he fancied his questioner must hear it.

"You have brought back my match-box!" exclaimed the colonel. "Come, now, this is very strange. Squire Filmer's son came to me but a half-hour since, and said he had found it, and would let me have it to-morrow. But what is the matter?" he added, in surprise. "Surely you are not going to cry!"

And the speaker took the match-box from the child's shaking hand, whilst the latter burst into tears.

"O sir! O sir! Please to believe me when I tell you all about it," sobbed poor Dick, "'cos Master Stephen's treated me shameful, he has! He's the biggest bully in the place, and he stole a shilling from me when he found me alone in the woods."

Then seeing it was useless to keep back anything, the little boy recounted the story of how the match-box had been forced upon him in exchange for the coin that the artist had given him for fetching his paints from the church. And so earnest was his voice, and straightforward his manner, that his hearer was inclined to think he told the truth.

"And you mean to tell me that you submitted to be robbed by young Filmer?" questioned the colonel. "Why did you not report the matter to his father? The squire would not have shielded him, I am sure, if you had told him what you have now told me."

"I—I threatened Master Stephen that I would; and he said if I did, he'd get my mother out of her charing and washing at the Manor House," sobbed the child bitterly. "And if you don't believe me about the shilling, sir, please to ask the artist gentleman, and he'll tell you that he gave it to me."

"And supposing I prove your story to be correct, and give you the ten shillings reward, how shall you spend the money?" asked the colonel.

"I shall pay the tax for our Stranger, sir. We should have had to get rid of him if—if it hadn't been for this."

Dick Wilkins's countenance brightened.

"Stranger is a dog, I suppose?"

"Yes, sir; a retriever. He came to our cottage one awful stormy night. His paw was cut and bleeding; and some body'd been trying to drown him, 'cos he'd got a rope with a stone at the end of it tied around his neck; and mother and I let him in, and did what we could for him."

"So he's stayed with you ever since! I believe I have seen him in the village on several occasions—a handsome creature he seemed too."

"Yes! Yes!" assented Dick enthusiastically. "And if I'd had him with me when Master Stephen came along that day, he wouldn't have let him bully me—not he!"

The colonel remained silent for some minutes after this. He put on his glasses and examined the match-box closely. At length he turned towards Dick Wilkins again.

"I feel much troubled by what you have told me," he commented. "And at the expense of some pain to the squire and his wife, I mean to see you righted. It is not so very late in the evening yet; therefore you and I will go down to the farm together, and see the gentleman who, you say, gave you the shilling."

"Yes, sir," agreed Dick, without the least hesitation. "He's almost sure to be in, 'cos the daylight's too far gone for him to be painting still."

Accordingly the two set out to pay a visit to the Smerdons' lodger. But scarce had they gone a hundred yards in the direction of the farm, when they came face to face with Stephen Filmer. A strange expression overspread the bully's features as he recognized the pair, and he would have slunk past without speaking had not Colonel Flamank thought fit to stop him.

"Wait, Stephen," said he; "I wish to speak to you about the lost match-box that you assured me you would bring back to-morrow. This lad has already brought it to me. What light can you throw upon the matter?"

"I found the match-box," answered the boy sulkily. "I only lent it to Dick Wilkins, and I suppose he's been dishonest enough to claim the reward."

"Oh!" cried Dick, in shocked accents. "Oh! how can you say so, Master Stephen?"

At this point, Colonel Flamank interposed and bade Dick be silent.

"Stephen," he afterwards said, "you are telling me a deliberate falsehood! You did not lend the match-box to this child; you forced it on him, in return for his shilling, which you had stolen."

"Well, he agreed to the exchange," said young Filmer, forgetting that a moment since he had stated that the match-box had been lent. "Do you think, if I'd treated him as he says, that he wouldn't have made a fuss and told my father about it?"

"You know what threats you employed to silence him, Stephen," rejoined the colonel. "You know that you sealed his lips by saying you would get his poor widowed mother out of her work at the Manor House, if he carried his story to the squire."

"And so I will, now he has sneaked upon me," was the savage response.

"No, indeed, you will not," Colonel Flamank assured him. "Had you shown any regret for your cowardly conduct, I might have been inclined to spare you by letting the matter pass. But you are far from repentant; and it is time a stop was put to your tyranny. I shall thoroughly investigate this affair, and prove or disprove the truth of Dick Wilkins's statement. After that, I shall make it my business to lay the facts of the case before both your parents. Now you can go your way."

And the squire's son passed out of sight, for once in his life really frightened and abashed.

"O sir!" gasped Dick, when he had gone, "I'm 'fraid he'll do some mischief even now if he can. Supposing he should get my mother out of her work at the Manor House! We should starve! And—and our landlord's a hard man, he is!"

"Don't fear, my lad," returned the colonel reassuringly. "Squire Filmer will see that no injustice is done. But here," he added, "we are already at Farmer Smerdon's gate. You shall stay where you are, whilst I go in and interview the donor of the shilling. And if I return satisfied with what he tells me, I will at once hand you the ten shillings reward."

"Yes, sir, thank you. I'll wait here."

Nor had he long to wait, for Colonel Flamank returned to him a few minutes later with a smile of encouragement upon his face.

"Have you seen him, sir?" asked little Dick, scarcely able to suppress his anxiety.

"Yes, and I am ready to give you what I promised."

So saying, the colonel laid a half-sovereign in Dick Wilkins's hand. It was the first gold coin the child had ever touched.