“I--I didn't know about him,” said Samuel. “Why should he---” “He helps everyone,” said the child. “That's his business.” “How do you mean?” “Don't you know who my father is?” she asked in surprise. “No,” said he, “I don't.” “My father is Dr. Vince,” she said; and then she gazed at him with wide-open eyes. “You've never heard of him!” “Never,” said Samuel. “He's a clergyman,” said the little girl. “A clergyman!” echoed Samuel aghast. Somehow it seemed far worse to have been robbing a clergyman. “And he's so good and kind!” went on the other. “He loves everyone, and tries to help them. And if you had come to him and told him, he'd have found some work for you.” “There are a great many people in Lockmanville out of work,” said Samuel gravely. “Oh! but they don't come to my papa!” said the child. “You must come and let him help you. You must promise me that you will.” “But how can I? I've tried to rob him!” “But that won't make any difference! You don't know my papa. If you should tell him that you had done wrong and that you were sorry--you are sorry, aren't you?” “Yes, I'm very sorry.” “Well, then, if you told him that, he'd forgive you--he'd do anything for you, I know. If he knew that I'd helped to reform you, he'd be so glad!--I did help a little, didn't I?” “Yes,” said Samuel. “You helped.” “You--you weren't very hard to reform, somehow,” said the child hesitatingly. “The little girl in the story had to talk a good deal more. Are you sure that you are going to be good now?” Samuel could not keep back a smile. “Truly I will,” he said. “I guess you were brought up to be good,” reflected the other. “I don't think you were very bad, anyway. It must be very hard to be starving.” “It is indeed,” said the boy with conviction. “I never heard of anyone starving before,” went on the other. “If that happened to people often, there'd be more burglars, I guess.” There was a pause. “What is your name?” asked the little girl. “Mine is Ethel. And now I'll tell you what we'll do. My papa's on his way home--his train gets here early in the morning. And you come up after breakfast--I'll make him wait for you. And then you can tell it all to him, and then you won't have any more troubles. Will you do that?” “You think he won't be angry with me?” asked Samuel. “No, I'm sure of it.” “And he won't want to have me arrested?” “Oh, dear me!” exclaimed Ethel with an injured look. “Why, my papa goes to see people in prison, and tries to help them get out! I'll promise you, truly.” “Very well,” said Samuel, “I'll come.” And so they parted. And Samuel found himself out upon the street again, with the open sky above him, and a great hymn of relief and joy in his soul. He was no longer a burglar! CHAPTER XV Samuel walked the streets all that night. For he fully meant to do what he had promised the child, and he did not care to go back to Charlie Swift, and face the latter's protests and ridicule.