--Mrs. Boyd's children knew very well that whatever her
will was, it was sure to be a just and wise will, herself being
the last person she ever thought of.--"Yes, I'll give in, if you
think I ought, for it's only wearing out myself and my clothes to
no good. Only let me have one day more and I'll go as far as
ever I can, perhaps to Dunfermline, or even Glasgow."
She would not forbid, and once more she started him off with a
cheerful face in the twilight of the wet October morning, and sat
all day long in the empty house--for the younger ones were now
all going to school again--thinking sorrowfully of her eldest,
whose merry school days were done forever.
In the dusk of the afternoon a card was brought up to her, with
the message that an old gentleman was waiting below, wishing to
see her.
A shudder ran through the poor mother, who, like many another
mother, hated bicycles, and never had an easy mind when Donald
was away on his. The stranger's first word was anything but
reassuring.
"Beg pardon ma'am, but is your name Boyd, and have you a son
called Donald, who went out on a bicycle this morning?"
"Yes, yes! Has anything happened? Tell me quick!"
"I'm not aware, ma'am, that anything has happened," said the old
gentleman. "I saw the lad at light this morning. He seemed to
be managing his machine uncommonly well. I met him at the foot
of a hill near Edinburgh Castle. He had got off and was walking;
so he saw me, and took off his cap.
Pages:
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82