The Lord delivereth the souls of
his servants: and all they that put their trust in him shall not be
destitute."
Every word told upon Arthur's heart, sending it up in thankfulness to
the Giver of all good.
He found the dean waiting for him in the nave, when he went down at the
conclusion of the service. Dr. Gardner was with him. The dean held out
his hand to Arthur.
"I am very glad you are cleared," he said. "You have behaved nobly."
Arthur winced. He did not like to take the faintest meed of praise that
was not strictly his due. The dean might have thought he deserved less,
did he know that he had been only screening Hamish; but Arthur could
not avow that tale in public. He glanced at the dean with a frank
smile.
"You see now, sir, that I only spoke the truth when I assured you of my
innocence."
"I do see it," said the dean. "I believed you then." And once more
shaking Arthur's hand, he turned into the cloisters with Dr. Gardner.
"I have already offered my congratulations," said the canon, good
humouredly, nodding to Arthur. This was correct. He had waylaid Arthur
as he went into college.
Arthur suffered them to go on a few steps, and then descended to the
cloisters. Old Ketch was shuffling along.
"What's this I've been a hearing, about that there drownded boy having
come back?" asked he of Arthur, in his usual ungracious fashion.
"I don't know what you may have heard, Ketch.
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