The Oriel Window

  CHAPTER X

  TAKING REFUGE

  It was a Saturday afternoon.

  Ferdy, as he lay on his couch in the oriel window, looked out halfsadly. The lawn and garden-paths below were thickly strewn with fallenleaves, for the summer was gone--the long beautiful summer which hadseemed as if it were going to stay "for always." And the autumn wasalready old enough to make one feel that winter had started on itsjourney southwards from the icy lands which are its real home.

  There were no swallow voices to be heard.

  Oh no; the last of the little tenants of the nests overhead had saidgood-bye several weeks ago now. Ferdy's fancy had often followed them intheir strange mysterious journey across the sea.

  "I wonder," he thought, "if they really _were_ rather sorry to go thisyear--sorrier than usual, because of me."

  He took up a bit of carving that he had been working at; it was meant tobe a small frame for a photograph of Chrissie, and he hoped to get itfinished in time for his mother's birthday. It was very pretty, for hehad made great progress in the last few months. In and out round theframe twined the foliage he had copied from the real leaves surroundinghis dear window, and up in one corner was his pet idea--a swallow'shead, "face," Ferdy called it, peeping out from an imaginary nestbehind. This head was as yet far from completed, and he almost dreadedto work at it, so afraid was he of spoiling it. To-day he had given it afew touches which pleased him, and he took it up, half meaning to do alittle more to it, but he was feeling tired, and laid it down again andwent back to his own thoughts, as his blue eyes gazed up dreamily intothe grey, somewhat stormy-looking autumn sky.

  Some changes had come in the last few months. Dr. Lilly was at homeagain, so Ferdy and Christine no longer had entire possession of theirdear governess, though they still saw her every day except Sunday, andsometimes even then too. Ferdy was, on the whole, a little stronger,though less well than when able to be out for several hours together inthe open air. What the doctors now thought as to the chances of his evergetting quite well, he did not know; he had left off asking. Childrenlive much in the present, or if not quite that, in a future which ismade by their own thoughts and feelings in the present. And he had grownaccustomed to his life, and to putting far before him, mistily, thepicture of the day when he _would_ be "all right again." He had notreally given up the hope of it, though his mother sometimes thought hehad.

  The truth was that as yet the doctors did not know and could not say.

  But the present had many interests and much happiness in it for Ferdy,little as he would have been able to believe this, had he foreseen allhe was to be deprived of in a moment that sad May morning.

  His friendship for Jesse was one of the things he got a great deal from.Nothing as yet was settled about the boy's future, eager though Mr.Brock was to see him launched in another kind of life. For both Mr.Ross and Dr. Lilly felt that any great step of the sort must first bewell thought over, especially as Jesse was now working steadily atFarmer Meare's and earning regular wages, and seemingly quite contented.Though he had had his troubles too. Some of his old wild companions werevery jealous of him and very spiteful; and bit by bit a sort of leaguehad been started against him among the worst and roughest of theDraymoor lads, several of whom were angry at not being allowed to jointhe class in the shed at Bollins, some still more angry at having beensent away from the class, for Jesse and his friend Barney who acted as asort of second in command were very particular as to whom they took aspupils. Or rather as to whom they _kept_; they did not mind letting aboy come two or three times to see "what it was like," but if he turnedout idle or disturbing to the others, and with no real interest in thework, he was told in very plain terms that he need not come back.

  They were patient with some rather dull and stupid lads, however. Barneyespecially so. For he was very "quick" himself. And some of these dullones really were the most satisfactory. They were so _very_ proud offinding that they could, with patience and perseverance, "make"something, useful at any rate, if not highly ornamental. No one who hasnot been tried in this way knows the immense pleasure of the firstfeeling of the power to "make."

  These things Ferdy was thinking of, among others, as he lay therequietly this afternoon. He was alone, except for an occasional "look in"from Thomas or Flowers, as Mr. Ross had taken his wife and Christine fora drive.

  Ferdy had grown much older in the last few months in some ways. He hadhad so much time for thinking. And though he did not, as I have said,trouble himself much about his own future, he thought a good deal aboutJesse's.

  There was no doubt that Jesse was _very_ clever at carving. Ferdy knewit, and saw it for himself, and Miss Lilly thought so, and the olddoctor thought so; and most of them all, Mr. Brock thought so. But forsome weeks past Mr. Brock's lessons had stopped. He had been sent awayby the firm at Whittingham who employed him, to see to the restorationof an old house in the country, where the wood carving, though much outof repair, was very fine, and required a careful and skilful workman tosuperintend its repair.

  So there seemed to be no one at hand quite as eager about Jesse as Ferdyhimself.

  "The winter is coming fast," thought the little invalid, "and they can'tgo on working in the shed. And Jesse may get into idle ways again--he'snot learning anything new now. It fidgets me so. I'd like him to be sentto some place where he'd get on fast. I don't believe he cares about ithimself half as much as I care about it for him. And he's so taken upwith his 'pupils.' I wonder what could be done about getting some one toteach them. Barney isn't clever enough. Oh, if only mamma wouldn't be soafraid of my tiring myself, and would let me have a class for them uphere in the winter evenings! Or I might have two classes,--there areonly ten or twelve of them altogether,--and once a week or so Mr. Brockmight come to help me, or not even as often as that. If he came once afortnight or even once a month he could see how they were gettingon,--_extra_ coming, I mean, besides his teaching me, for of course themore I learn the better I can teach them. And another evening we mighthave a class for something else--baskets or something not so hard ascarving. Miss Lilly's learning baskets, I know. And then Jesse wouldn'tmind leaving his pupils. Oh, I do wish it could be settled. I wish Icould talk about it again to Dr. Lilly. I don't think Jesse's quiteam--I can't remember the word--caring enough about getting on to besomething great."

  Poor Jesse, it was not exactly want of ambition with him. It was simplythat the idea of becoming anything more than a farm-labourer had neveryet entered his brain. He thought himself very lucky indeed to be wherehe now was, and to have the chance of improving in his dearly loved"carving" without being mocked at or interfered with, neither of whichso far had actually been the case, though there had been some unpleasantthreatenings in the air of late. His efforts to interest and improve theboys of the neighbourhood had been looked upon with suspicion--with moresuspicion than he had known till quite lately, when he and Barney hadbeen trying to get some one to lend them a barn or an empty room of anykind for the winter.

  "What was he after now? Some mischief, you might be sure, or he wouldn'tbe Jesse Piggot."

  So much easier is it to gain "a bad name," than to live one down.

  "Oh," thought little Ferdy, "I do _wish_ something could be settledabout Jesse."

  He was growing restless--restless and nervous, which did not oftenhappen. Was it the gloomy afternoon, or the being so long alone, orwhat? The clouds overhead were growing steely-blue, rather than grey.Could it be going to thunder? Surely it was too cold for that. Perhapsthere was a storm of some other kind coming on--heavy rain or wind,perhaps.

  And mamma and Chrissie would get _so_ wet!

  If only they would come in! Ferdy began to feel what he very rarelydid--rather sorry for himself. It was nervousness, one of the troubleswhich are the hardest to bear in a life such as Ferdy's had become andmight continue. But this he was too young to understand; he thought hewas cross and discontented, and this self-reproach only made him themore uncomfortable. These feelings, however, were no
t allowed to go veryfar that afternoon. A sound reached Ferdy's quick ears which made himlook up sharply and glance out of the window. Some one was runningrapidly along the drive towards the house.

  It was Jesse.

  But fast as he came, his way of moving told of fatigue. He had run far,and seemed nearly spent.

  Ferdy's heart began to beat quickly, something must be the matter. Couldit be an accident? Oh! if anything had happened to his father and motherand Chrissie, and Jesse had been sent for help! But in that case hewould have gone straight to the stable-yard, and as this thought struckhim, Ferdy breathed more freely again. Perhaps, after all, it was onlysome message and nothing wrong, and Jesse had been running fast just forhis own amusement.

  The little boy lay still and listened. In a minute or two he heardfootsteps coming upstairs. Then a slight tap at the door--Thomas'stap--and almost without waiting for an answer, the footman came in.

  "It's Jesse, Master Ferdy," he began. "Jesse Piggot. He's run all theway from Bollins, and he's pretty well done. He's begging to see you.He's in some trouble, but he won't tell me what. I'm afraid your mammawon't be best pleased if I let him up, but I don't know what to do, heseems in such a state."

  Ferdy raised himself a little on his couch. There must be something verymuch the matter for Jesse, merry, light-hearted Jesse, to be in a"state" at all.

  "Let him come up at once, Thomas, I'll put it all right with mamma," hebegan, but before Thomas had time for any more hesitation the matter wastaken out of his hands by Jesse's short-cropped, dark head appearing inthe doorway.

  "Oh, Master Ferdy!" he exclaimed, in a choking voice, "mayn't I comein?"

  "Of course," said Ferdy quickly. "It's all right, Thomas," with a touchof impatience, "I'll call you if I want you," and Thomas discreetlywithdrew, closing the door behind him.

  "They're after me, Master Ferdy," were Jesse's first words, "at leastI'm afraid they are, though I tried my best to dodge them."

  "Who?" exclaimed Ferdy.

  "The p'lice and Bill Turner's father, and a lot of them, and oh, MasterFerdy, some one called out he was killed!"

  "Who?" said Ferdy again, though his own cheeks grew white at Jesse'swords. "And what is it that's happened, and what do you want me to do.You must tell me properly, Jesse."

  It said a good deal for Ferdy's self-control that he was able to speakso quietly and sensibly, for he was feeling terribly startled. Jessechoked down his gasping breath, which was very nearly turning into sobs.

  "I didn't want to frighten you, Master Ferdy. I didn't ought to, I know,but I couldn't think what else to do. It's that Bill Turner, MasterFerdy," and at the name he gave a little shudder. "He was in the classonce, but it was only out of mischief. He did no good and tried to upsetthe others. So Barney and I wouldn't keep him at no price, and he's goneon getting nastier and nastier, and the other day he 'called' me--hedid--so that I couldn't stand it, and I went for him. It didn't hurthim, but it made him madder than ever, and he said he'd pay me out. Andthis afternoon when Barney and me were sorting the carvings at theshed--we've a box we keep them all in, there--Bill comes down upon us,him and some others. They got hold of 'em all and smashed 'em up andkicked them to pieces--all to pieces, Master Ferdy"--with a sort ofwail, almost of despair, in his voice. "All the things we've been at forso long! We were going to make a show of them at Christmas; and Icouldn't stand it, I went at him like a wild beast--it was for the otherlads I minded so--though he's much bigger nor me, and I got him down,and he lay there without moving, and some one called out he was dead,and then the p'lice came, and one of 'em caught hold of me, but I gotloose and I started running--I scarce knew what I was doing. I justthought I'd get here, and you'd tell me what to do. He can't be dead,Master Ferdy," he went on, dropping his voice--"you don't think he canbe? I didn't seem to know what it meant till I got here and began tothink."

  "I don't know," said Ferdy, again growing very pale, while poor Jesse'sface was all blotched in great patches of red and white, and smearedwith the tears he had tried to rub off. "Oh, I do wish papa and mammawould come in! I don't know what to do. Do you think they saw yourunning this way, Jesse?"

  "I--I don't know, Master Ferdy. I hope not, but there was a lot of theboys about--Draymoor boys, I mean--Bill's lot, and they may have trackedme. Of course none of _my_ boys," he added, lifting his head proudly,"would peach on me, whatever the p'lice did."

  But even as he spoke, there came, faintly and confusedly, the sound ofapproaching steps along the road just beyond the hedge, and a murmur ofseveral voices all talking together. It might not have caught Ferdy'sattention at any other time, but just now both his ears and Jesse's weresharpened by anxiety.

  "They're a coming, Master Ferdy," exclaimed the poor boy, growing stillwhiter.

  "Never mind," said Ferdy, trying hard to be brave, "Thomas is all right,he won't let them come up here."

  "Oh, but maybe he can't stop them," said Jesse. "The p'lice can forcetheir way anywheres. I wouldn't mind so much if it _had_ to be--like ifyour papa was here and said I must go to prison. But if they take me offnow with no one to speak up for me, seems to me as if I'd never get outagain."

  Poor Ferdy was even more ignorant than Jesse of everything to do withlaw and prisons and the like; he looked about him almost wildly.

  "Jesse," he said in a whisper. "I know what to do. Creep under my couchand lie there quite still. Thomas is all right, and nobody else saw youcome up, did they?"

  "No one else saw me at all," Jesse replied, dropping his voice, andgoing down on his hands and knees, "better luck. I'll keep still, nofear, Master Ferdy," his boyish spirits already rising again at the ideaof "doing the p'lice," "and they'd never dare look under your sofa."

  He scrambled in, but put his head out again for a moment to whisper inan awestruck tone, "But oh, Master Ferdy, if they do come up here,please try to find out if Bill Turner's so badly hurt as they said. Iknow it _can't_ be true that I did as bad as _that_."

  All the same he was terribly frightened and remorseful. Ferdy scarcelydared to reply, for by this time a group of men and boys was coming upthe drive, and a constable in front marched along as if he meantbusiness, for as Ferdy watched them, he turned round and waved back theeight or ten stragglers who were following him, though he still held bythe arm a thin, pale-faced little fellow whom he had brought with himall the way. This was Barney, poor Jesse's first lieutenant.

  Another minute or two passed. Then hurrying steps on the stairs again,and Thomas reappeared, looking very excited.

  "Master Ferdy," he exclaimed, but stopped short on seeing that hislittle master was alone. "Bless me!" he ejaculated under his breath,"he's gone! and I never saw him leave the house."

  "What is it, Thomas?" said Ferdy, trying to speak and look as usual. "Isaw the constable come in--you must tell him papa's out."

  "I have told him so, sir, and I'm very sorry, but he will have it hemust see you. Some one's been and told that Jesse ran this way."

  "Let him come up then," said Ferdy, with dignity, "though I'm sure papawill be very angry, and I don't believe he's any right to force his wayin! But I'm not afraid of him!" proudly.

  "Master _will_ be angry for certain," said Thomas, "very angry, and I'vetold the constable so. But he's in a temper, and a very nasty one, andwon't listen to reason. He says them Draymoor boys are getting pastbearing. I only hope," he went on, speaking more to himself, as heturned to leave the room again, "I only hope he won't get me into ascrape too for letting him up to frighten Master Ferdy--not that he _is_frightened all the same!"