THAT BOY TEDDY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2519, 22 June 1893, Page 4

THAT BOY TEDDY.

C Concluded.) *' Well, Mr Teddy Ford, what can I do for you ?” he asked tremulously, for he could not imagine what was coming. Teddy slowly advanced, and with all the confidence of his age and innocence, placed himself close by the old gentleman's knee. "Do you know Mr Heatherlie, your son?” he began. "Well, he was at our house last night, and I was sleepin’ on the drawin’-room sofa, and I had to lister, to what Miriam and him was sayin', 'cos I couldn’t get out. And, oh, please sir, they’re very miserable, ’cos you won't let him come back here, an' I don’t wonder at it. ’cos it’s an awful nice place, and Mr Heatherlie said he would never come back no more till you came to see Miriam. I think that was what he said ; and, oh, please sir, I think he can't make any money or something, but I dunno, only Miriam cried like anything, and Mr Heatherlie looked just awful, an’ he’s awful nice, and gives me chocolates, at least he used. Oh, please sir, won’t you come and see Miriam: so’s Mr Heatherlie’ll come back to here?" and Teddy finished up his breathless and rather incoherent oration by a burst of childish tears. " Did they send you here to say all this ?” queried the old gentleman, in a very curious voice. Instantly Teddy took his knuckles out oi his wet eyes, and looked scornfully into the querist’s face. " Not likely, I wouldn’t have got if they’d known, and I believe ma ’ll lick me awfully for gettin’ lost. I took all my pennies out my tin bank, and walked to the station and got into the train, aud came all by myself — isn’t it seven miles ?—an’ I walked every bit up here, an’ oh, I’m awful hungry, ’cos it's past tea time. Do you keep any tea in this place ? Why, what are you crying for ? Are you miserable too ?’’ To Teddy’s amazement, he felt himself suddenly lifted in the old gentleman’s arms, and called by a great many endearing and affectionate names. "My little man, you have done me and mine aif incomparable service this day," he said, brokenly, but these words Teddy could not quite understand. " If you’d give me some tea, please, and let me go home, 'cos you know ma ’ll be in an awful state,” he said, philosophically. " Likely the bellman ’ll be out, ringing for people to look for me.” " You shall have some tea, certainly, my boy,” said the old gentleman, with a very tender smile, "and then I shall drive you home.” ” Oh, that’ll be nice, and you’ll see Miriam, and Mr Heatherlie 'll not go away to London to-morrow like he said he would,” said Teddy, in tones of satisfaction. So the bell was rung, and Anne, much "•''stifled, brought in the tea, and carried l • , '*er’s orders to the coachman to get er mas. s„ (Jrive to Sleaford. And a carnage reau being exeeuted> while these ordexs u « ® k his tea 1 eddy, as happy as a king, 0... .i and consumed an unlimited quantity Oi cake, while the old gentleman, with a tremulous happy smile, looked on, thinking what sunshine the child’s happy presence made in the gloomy place. • • • • i#* • *' Do you console yourself, dear mamma," said Miriam, soothingly. ”If Teddy has only wandered in the town, Will will certainly find him. Why, here he comes! Have you heard anything, dear ?” " I have been at the station, and Burnett tells me Teddy took train for Heatherlie at half-past three,” said Will, with a puzzled smile. " What do you suppose was the young man’s object in undertaking a journey to Heatherlie, of all places in the world?" The three looked at each other in speechless astonishment. Thus, in her relief at heaidng something definite about her darling, Mrs Ford burst into tears. Just then there came a rattling of wheels in the quiet street, the stoppage of some vehicle at the door, and presently the voice of Teddy himself. " I’m here, ma ; I’m not lost at all!” he cried, and with one bound was in his mother's arms. But there was another and a heavier step than Teddy’s on the stair, and presently a tall figure stood upon the thi'eshold of the little dx-awing-roora. Then Miriam gi'ew pale, so did Will, but stepped resolutely to her side. Mrs Ford, still holding Teddy in her arms, rose to her feet. " I am happy to restore, your dear child to you, madam,” said the deep tones of the master of Heatherlie Honour. " I owe him a debt of gratitude which I shall make it my endeavour to i‘epay. With my dear boy I was harsh and unjust. Forgive me. Let me hold the dear girl you have loved so long in my arms. Now, 1 have fulfilled the part accorded to me by Teddy. Will you come back now to Heatherlie Honour?” Smiles, tears, laughter, looks of wonderment, and, best of all, deep, true, un-looked-for joy, how can I describe them all ? Faxbetter. is it not, to leave it to the imagination of the reader ? When Sir William’s carriage again turned from the unpretentious home in Hatton Place father and son sat in it side by side. And it seemed to the happy hearts they left behind —only, however, for a little while—that the sun shone out after a long day of darkness and cloud. Needless to say that when the quiet wedding of Will and Miriam took place in a few months' time, Teddy was the hero of the hour. It was not to be wondex-ed at that he became the idol of Sir William’s heart, and that he was not dethroned from his pedestal, even by the advent of the young heir himself. “ How could you &y«r do it, Ted ?" Kitty inquix-ed for the fiftieth time. " I just thought of it and did it," was Teddy’s serene answer. ,f i never could have done such an awful thing/’’ was Kitty’s next remark. “ No," answered Teddy, philosophically. « X??it then you're only a girl,”