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"It is indeed strange," returned her friend, "but it is just another instance of the power of God's Word to rescue and preserve souls, even in the most unfavourable circumstances. Tottie's mother is Christian, and all the energies of her vigorous nature are concentrated on two points the training of her child in the fear of God, and the saving of her husband from drink.
Miss Stivergill repented of the speech instantly on seeing the tears start into Tottie's large eyes as she replied quickly "Indeed I would, m'm. Oh! you've no notion 'ow kind father is w'en 'e's not in liquor." "There, there. Of course he is. I didn't mean to say he wasn't, little Bones. It's a curious fact that many drun , I mean people given to drink, are kind and amiable. It's a disease.
It is strange," he continued faintly, as Aspel bent over him, "that the lady I wanted to rob set me free, for Tottie's sake; and the boy I cast adrift in London risked his life for Tottie; and the man I tried to ruin saved her; and the man I have often cursed from my door has brought me at last to the Sinner's Friend. Strange! very strange!"
"Well and hearty," replied Mrs Gaff, sitting down and seizing Tottie's head, which she began to smooth. She always smoothed Tottie, if she were at hand, when she had nothing better to do. "Heh!" exclaimed Haco, with a slight look of surprise. "Glad to hear it, lass. Nothin' turned up, has there?"
While the two sat gazing on the ground with dejected countenances, a gleam of light seemed to shoot from Tottie's eyes. "Oh! I've got it!" she cried, looking brightly up. "Peter!" "What! the boy you met at Rosebud Cottage?" asked Mrs Bones. "Yes. He's such a nice boy, and you've no idea, mother, what a inventor he is.
She had grown wonderfully too, and had acquired a certain sedateness of demeanour, which was all the more captivating that it was an utterly false index to her character, for Tottie's spirit was as wildly exuberant as that of the wildest denizen of Archangel Court. In like manner Pax had been greatly improved by his association with Phil Maylands.
"What's the address, Abel?" asked Mrs Bones. "Willum Stiggs," replied her husband. "So i g s," said Mrs Bones, writing very slowly, "Rosebud Cottage." "What!" exclaimed the man fiercely, as he started up. "Oh, I declare!" said Mrs Bones, with a laugh, "if that place that Tottie's been tellin' us of ain't runnin' in my 'ead. But I've not writ it, Abel, I only said it."
I've told you all about that, but did not tell you that the burglar was Tottie's father, as Tottie had made me promise not to mention it to any one. I knew the rascal at once on seeing him in the railway carriage, and could hardly help explodin' in his face at the fun of the affair. Of course he didn't know me on account of my bein' as black in the face as the King of Dahomey.
"Where, and when, and why did you find that child?" asked Miss Stivergill. Her friend related what she knew of Tottie's history. "Strange!" remarked Miss Stivergill, but beyond that remark she gave no indication of the state of her mind.
"For Tottie's sake I should be sorry to see you transported," continued the lady, "therefore I mean to let you off. Moreover, bad as you are, I believe you are not so bad as many people would think you. Therefore I'm going to trust you." Bones looked inquiringly and with some suspicion at his captor. He evidently thought there was a touch of insanity about her.
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