“Well, Robert, we know that he is a liar; this is not the first time he has, been caught in a lie.  Timmins, your time is out.”

The spruce clerk hung his head with shame and mortification.

“I hope, sir, you will—­” he began, but pride or fear stopped him short.

“Don’t be hard with him, sir, if you please,” said Bobby.  “I suppose I aggravated him.”

Mr. Bayard looked at the gentleman who stood by his side, and a smile of approbation lighted up his face.

“Generous as he is noble!  Butler, this is the boy that saved Ellen.”

“Indeed!  He is a little giant!” replied Mr. Butler, grasping Bobby’s hand.

Even Timmins glanced with something like admiration in his looks at the youth whom he had so lately despised.  Perhaps, too, he thought of that Scripture wisdom about entertaining angels unawares.  He was very much abashed, and nothing but his silly pride prevented him from acknowledging his error, and begging Bobby’s forgiveness.

“I can’t have a liar about me,” said Mr. Bayard.

“There may be some mistake,” suggested Mr. Butler.

“I think not.  Robert Bright couldn’t lie.  So brave and noble a boy is incapable of a falsehood.  Besides, I got a letter from my friend Squire Lee by this morning’s mail, in which he informed me of my young friend’s coming.”

Mr. Bayard took from his pocket a bundle of letters, and selected the squire’s from among them.  Opening it, he read a passage which had a direct bearing upon the case before him.

“‘I do not know what Bobby’s faults are,’”—­the letter said,—­“’but this I do know:  that Bobby would rather be whipped than tell a lie.  He is noted through the place for his love of truth.’—­That is pretty strong testimony; and you see, Bobby,—­that’s what the squire calls you,—­your reputation has preceded you.”

Bobby blushed, as he always did when he was praised, and Mr. Timmins was more abashed than ever.

“Did you hear that, Timmins?  Who is the liar now?” said Mr. Bayard, turning to the culprit.

“Forgive me, sir, this time.  If you turn me off now, I cannot get another place, and my mother depends upon my wages.”

“You ought to have thought of this before.”

“He aggravated me, sir, so that I wanted to pay him off.”

“As to that, he commenced upon me the moment I came into the store.  But don’t turn him off, if you please, sir,” said Bobby, who even now wished no harm to his discomfited assailant.  “He will do better hereafter:  won’t you, Timmins?”

Thus appealed to, Timmins, though he did not relish so direct an inquiry, and from such a source, was compelled to reply in the affirmative; and Mr. Bayard graciously remitted the sentence he had passed against the offending clerk.

“Now, Robert, you will come over to my house and dine with me.  Ellen will be delighted to see you.”