84 The Brothers.

 

“And you did not hear any one run away,
or see any sign of the thieves?”

Stephen hesitated, he did not say a word
very distinctly, but yet he felt somehow that
he had consented to a lie.

It had been heavy on his heart all day; he
had never lied before, not even in his dark and
terrified days, and now that he knew better!

But he dared not speak for fear of betraying
Johnnie; and now what was this that he
heard ?—what warning about preferring the
friend to the right? Could this have been the
sacrifice that was asked of him, and had he
refused it? But then how could he sacrifice
Johnnie?

The idea troubled him so much that his
aunt could not help noticing the agitation of
his face.

“My dear, what is it?” she asked gently.
“Tell me what makes you look so unhappy?”

“No; I’ve nothing to tell,” said he, almost
crossly ; and then, to his great relief, his aunt
saw a neighbour coming down the garden,
and went away. Afterwards Johnnie came
in singing and smiling; Stephen watched him
sadly, and wondered more and more.