It was an evil impulse to which he gave way in his suffering -- and think of the good which has resulted from it . '' `` That is true , Master , but it does not alter the terrible fact that the boy had murder in his heart , -- that he would have killed you . An over-ruling Providence has saved him from the actual commission of the crime and brought good out of evil ; but he is guilty in thought and purpose . And we have cared for him and instructed him as our own -- with all his faults we have loved him ! It is a hard thing , and I do not see what we are to do . We can not act as if nothing had happened . We can never trust him again . '' But Neil Gordon solved the problem himself . When Eric returned that night he found old Robert Williamson in the pantry regaling himself with a lunch of bread and cheese after a trip to the station . Timothy sat on the dresser in black velvet state and gravely addressed himself to the disposal of various tid-bits that came his way . `` Good night , Master . Glad to see you 're looking more like yourself . I told the wife it was only a lover 's quarrel most like . She 's been worrying about you ; but she did n't like to ask you what was the trouble . She ai n't one of them unfortunate folks who ca n't be happy athout they 're everlasting poking their noses into other people 's business . But what kind of a rumpus was kicked up at the Gordon place , to-night , Master ? '' Eric looked amazed . What could Robert Williamson have heard so soon ? `` What do you mean ? '' he asked .
`` Why , us folks at the station knew there must have been a to-do of some kind when Neil Gordon went off XXXXX the harvest excursion the way he did . ''
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