But it's not true; it's sure to come
out somehow. Why, I don't even know what I said to Miss Anne last night;
but if I hadn't told a word to anybody, I'd be bound to tell the truth
now.'
'Only say thee aren't certain,' urged Bess.
'Nay, lass,' said Stephen, 'I am certain. I'd do anything that was right
for thy sake, and to save thy father; but I can't do this, and it would
be no use if I could. God seeth in secret, and He will reward men
openly. He's begun to reward the master already. We can do nothing for
thy father, but every one of us tell the truth, and pray to God for
him.'
'Father was good to thee when thou wert ill,' said Bess.
'Ay, I know it,' he replied; 'but if he was my own father, I could not
tell a lie to get him off. I'd do anything I could. Oh, Bess and Tim,
don't ask me to go agen the right!'
'It'll break mother's heart,' said Bess, bursting out into a loud
crying. 'We made sure of thee, because thee says so much about having
thy enemies; and we were only afeared of Tim. Thee says we are to do to
another as we'd have them do to us. If thee was in father's place,
thee'd want him to do as I ask thee.
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