Willy Burke, or, The Irish orphan in America - Digital Repository ...

THE IRISH ORPHAN IN AMERICA. 133
looked after her dupe with a smile of triumphant meaning
as she murmured, half aloud, " One brand snatched from
the burning !
This is well, and as it should be".
It was the Saturday evening after the conversation
with Wilson, and some three or four weeks after fche discovery
of the cross. Although we have seen that, from
the first, Willy had suspected that Mr. Talbot was the
unknown benefactor of his family, still it was remarkable
that he never breathed a word of the matter to that gentleman,
Week after week he had received and pocketed
his wages, without as much as thanking him whom he
well believed to have earned his warmest gratitude. Was
it that he had forgotten ? Not so ; Willy Burke'was of
all others, the least likely to forget a benefit.
On the evening to which I have alluded, he waited in
the office till all the others had retired, when, approaching
Mr. Talbot, who still remained at his desk he said
'" May I speak a few words to you, Mr.' Talbot, if Jyou
' please?"
" Of course you may, Willy ; half a hundred if you
will".
* Well, sir, I suppose you thought me very ungrateful
because I never came to thank you for what you have
done for us all of late". Then, seeng that Mr. Talbot
looked, or affected to look surprised, he added " You
know very well what I mean, sir—the beautiful cross that
you got up over my mother's grave".
" What reason have you to attribute its erection to
me, Willy ?" asked the merchant with a smile.
" Oh, sir !" replied Willy, with all the genuine fervour
that belongs to the unsophisticated Irish heart "oh
sir, it wasn't very hard for me to guess who did it ; there
J