Chapter XXIV: Good News

AS Ruth entered her home, she felt as if it was all very forlorn and desolate.

Her father gone; Mary's brother displeased and disappointed; the household cares on her shoulders more than she knew how to manage and cope with! All things seemed against her.

She went upstairs to take off her hat, and sat down by the window and buried her face in her hands. It was silly to cry, she thought, and yet she felt utterly spent and forlorn.

A soft step on the carpet startled her, and almost before she could raise her head, two tender little arms were flung round her neck, and kisses and tears touched her cheek, as Norman mutely asked her what was the matter.

She took him on her lap, and told him "It was nothing; she was only tired, and rather lonely."

And the child gazed wistfully in her face, and once or twice his lips moved as if he would speak to her.

For a moment, Ruth's heart stood still, and then her tears fell faster than ever, as she pressed him to her, and murmured that "she would be better directly, and he must not mind; she was sorry he had seen her cry!"

The child stroked her face and smoothed her hair for a little while, and when he saw that she seemed quieter, he slipped off her lap and went to her little table. On it lay the Bible from which she had been reading to him that morning. It lay open at the place, as Norman saw, of the picture of Christ stilling the storm which she had shown him there.

He seemed searching for something, and Ruth had time to dry her eyes and try to collect her thoughts as to the next thing that she had to do.

At that moment, Norman came back to her side, laid the book on her knees, and pointed with his finger to one of her marked verses, and her eyes fell upon the words:

"'Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.'"

"Oh, Norman!" she exclaimed. "Have you turned my little comforter?"

"Yes," he said softly.

She heard the word distinctly, and though she gave a start of joy, she only clasped her arms round him gently and lovingly.

"You have done me good, darling," she whispered. "I never thought when I read you those words about the storm that I should so soon feel as if I were in a storm, 'toiling in rowing, and the wind contrary.' But if Jesus comes to us walking on the water, we shall be glad of the storm afterwards that brought Him so near!"

With another murmured "Yes," and a tight clasp round her neck, Norman took her hand and led her to the door, for the dinner-bell was ringing, and the rest would be waiting.

Trembling with gladness and thankfulness, Ruth went down. She would have given a great deal to speak to Heston, but her fear of doing harm to Norman made her instantly decide to take no notice whatever of his recovered speech.

Heston looked at her once or twice as if he could not understand her face. It was so touching in its tenderness and joy, though he could see that she had shed many tears. He, however, did his best to enliven the party, and waited till he should hear the explanation, if explanation there were.

Mala fetched Norman directly after dinner for his ride in his invalid carriage, and Judith went with them.

Ruth helped them off, and, as usual, wished her little cousin good-bye before he started.

She took the opportunity to whisper brightly, "I am all right now, Norman! Thank you for pointing out those sweet words to me!"

And with a loving look from Norman in return, the little carriage moved on, Mala being impatient to set out.

"Heston!" said Ruth, as she went back. "Come into the garden; I want to speak to you."

"Is anything wrong, Cousin Ruth?" he asked quickly.

"No, no! Everything is right. I only got a fit of home-sickness or something. Heston! Norman came in and found me crying, and tried to comfort me—and—he spoke! He said two words, quite distinctly!"

"Cousin Ruth!"

"Yes, he did. I know I was not mistaken; but I took no notice. Oh, Heston, Heston! How shall we thank God?"

"I cannot believe it yet," said Heston, colouring with excitement. "Are you 'sure?'"

"Perfectly sure. Now, Heston, we must just go on as if nothing had happened. I shall only tell dear old Morris. The rest must be content to wait for the happy news till he speaks again. Of course I shall write to my father by this post."

Heston sat as if lost in amazement. "Cousin Ruth," he exclaimed, at length, "it is all owing to you!"

"No, no! Ever since Norman came, I have asked God to give the blessing to our efforts. Heston, it is just that He has guided to the means."

When Norman came home from his ride, he looked very cheerful, but he appeared not to remember the wonderful events of the morning. The only difference in his manner was that he kept close to Ruth's side, looking wistfully in her face, and seeming to ask over and over again whether all was right with her.

It was not till she was doing her evening "massage" that anything special happened.

As usual, Ruth was chatting to him, telling him any little bits of news or of interest she had been able to save up for his benefit, when he quietly looked up in her face and said gently, "I think my speech has come back, Cousin Ruth! Will you kneel down and tell the Lord Jesus how much I thank Him?"

Ruth dropped on her knees by his side, and she clasped her arms round him, while he, with shining eyes whispered a loving "thank you" after her few earnest words.

"I wasn't sure," he said presently, as she went on with his massage. "I could hardly believe it this morning. But when they left me alone with Dickie-bird, I tried to speak to him, and I found I could! I don't want them all to come kissing and fussing, Cousin Ruth. Only you tell them, and say they can tell God how glad they are—because I don't think I can bear it yet."

His lip trembled.

"I am sure you cannot, dear. Nobody but Heston need know yet, if you would rather not."

"No—" he said, "that would seem unkind. If Mala might just put me to bed before she knows, I think I shall be all right. Only it makes me tremble—in a sort of way—as if it might go away again—"

"But," she said tenderly, "when you tremble, you can say to yourself, 'If God my Father has given me this blessing, He can keep it for me by His power!'"

"So He can!" said Norman, with a grateful glance. "I forgot that."