Aunt Beatrice has lots of children of her own and I do n't believe she 'll be a bit sorry when I go away . She 's ashamed of my father 'cause he did a bad thing . But I 'm not , no , sir . I 'm going to love him so much that I 'll make up to him for everything else . And you can just go home , Jimmy Morris , so there ! '' Jimmy Morris went home , and when he had gone , Joey flung himself face downward in the grass and fallen apple blossoms and lay very still . On the other side of the spruce hedge knelt John Churchill with bowed head . The tears were running freely down his face , but there was a new , tender light in his eyes . The bitterness and despair had fallen out of his heart , leaving a great peace and a dawning hope in their place . Bless that loyal little soul ! There was something to live for after all -- there was a motive to make the struggle worthwhile . He must justify his son 's faith in him ; he must strive to make himself worthy of this sweet , pure , unselfish love that was offered to him , as a divine draught is offered to the parched lips of a man perishing from thirst . Aye , and , God helping him , he would . He would redeem the past . He would go west , but under his own name . His little son should go with him ; he would work hard ; he would pay back the money he had embezzled , as much of it as he could , if it took the rest of his life to do so . For his boy 's sake he must cleanse his name from the dishonour he had brought on it . Oh , thank God , there was somebody to care , somebody to love him , somebody to believe him when he said humbly , `` I repent . '' Under his breath he said , looking heavenward : `` God be merciful to me , a sinner . '' Then he stood up erectly , went through the gate and over the grass to the motionless little figure with its face buried in its arms .
`` XXXXX boy , '' he said huskily .
Beatrice Churchill God Joey Morris dishonour figure heart motive rest