Mr. Ruskin has it that we are all kings and queens, possessing realms and treasuries. However this may be, it is certain that there are souls born to reign over the hearts of their fellows, kings walking about the world in broad-cloth and fustian, shooting-jackets, ulsters, and what not—swaying hearts at will, though it may be all unconscious of their power; and only the existence of some such psychological fact as this will account for the incident which I am about to relate. It was a winter's morning in 1869, bright as it is possible for such a morning to be in London, but piercingly cold, and Wikkey had brushed and re-brushed the pathway—which scarcely needed it, the east wind having already done half the work—just to put some feeling of warmth into his thin frame before seating himself in his usual "Well, small boy! I hope you'll know me again," he said. To which Wikkey promptly returned in the shrill, aggressively aggrieved voice of the London Arab: "I reckon it don't do you no harm, guvner; a cat may look at a king." Lawrence laughed, and threw him a copper, saying, "You are a cheeky little fellow," and went on his way. Wikkey stood looking after him, and then picked up the penny, holding it between his cold hands, as though it possessed some warming properties, and muttering: "It seems fur to warm a chap to look at him;" and then he sat down once more, still pondering over the apparition "I say, guvner, you hadn't no call fur to call me cheeky; I didn't mean no cheek, only I likes the look of yer; it seems fur to warm a chap." Lawrence stopped this time and looked curiously at the boy, at the odd, keen eyes gazing at him so hungrily. "You are a strange lad if you are not "I dunno," said Wikkey, and then he repeated his formula, "it seems to warm a chap." "You must be precious cold if that will do it, poor little lad. What's your name?" "Wikkey." "Wikkey? Is that all?" "No, I've another name about me somewheres, but I can't just mind of it. They allus calls me Wikkey." "Poor lad!" Lawrence said again, looking at the thin skeleton frame, sadly visible through the tattered clothing. "Poor little chap! it's sharp weather for such a mite as you. There! get something to warm you." And feeling in his pocket he drew out half-a-crown, which he slipped into Wikkey's hand, and then turned and walked away. Wikkey stood looking af "It seems fur to warm a chap," he said again, as he crept under the wretched blanket which Mrs. Skimmidge designated and charged for as a bed. From that day forward Wikkey was possessed by one idea—that of watching for the approach of the "big chap," following his steps along the crossing, and then, if possible, getting a word or look on which to live until the next blissful moment should arrive. Nor was he often disappointed, for Lawrence, having recently obtained employment in a certain government office, and Wik But at last there came a season of desolation very nearly verging on despair. Day after day for a week—ten days—a fortnight—did "Hullo, Wikkey! you are late to-night." And starting upward with wild startled eyes the boy saw Lawrence Granby. He staggered to his feet and gasped out: "You've come, have you? I've been a watching and a waiting of you, and I thought as you'd never come again." Then the cough seized him, shaking him till he could only cling to the lamp-post for support till it was over, and then slip down in a helpless heap on the pavement. "Wikkey, poor little chap, how bad you are," said Lawrence, looking sadly down on the huddled-up figure; "you oughtn't to be out. You—you haven't been watching for me like this?" "I've been a watching and a watching," Wikkey answered, in faint hoarse tones, "Poor little chap! poor little lad!" was all the young man could find to say, while there rose up in his heart an impulse which his common sense tried hard to suppress, but in vain. "Wikkey," he said, at last, "you must come home with me;" and he took one of the claw-like hands in his warmly gloved one, and walked on slowly, out of compassion for the child's feeble limbs: even then, however, they soon gave way, and Wikkey once more slid down crying on the pavement. There was nothing for it but for Lawrence to gather up the child in his strong arms, and stride on, wondering whether after all it were not too late to revive the frozen-out life. For one blissful moment Wikkey felt himself held close and warm, and his head nestled against the woolly ulster, and then all was blank. "Mrs. Evans," he began, as the good lady emerged from her own domain on the "I dare say you are surprised," he went on at last in desperation; "but the poor child is terribly ill, dying, I think, and if you could do anything." "Of course, Mr. Lawrence, you do as you think proper," Mrs. Evans returned, preserving her severest manner, though she eyed Wikkey with some curiosity; "only if you had mentioned when you engaged my rooms that you intended turning them into a refuge for vagabonds, it would have been more satisfactory to all parties." "I know all that. I know its very inconsiderate of me, and I am very sorry; but you see the little fellow is so bad—he looks just like little Robin, nurse." "If you wouldn't mind getting a hot bath ready in the kitchen, I will manage without troubling you." "I hope, Mr. Lawrence, that I know my place better than that," was the reply, and forthwith Mrs. Evans, who, beneath a somewhat stern exterior, possessed a really good heart, took Wikkey under her wing, administered warmth and restoratives, washed the grimy little form, cropped and scrubbed the matted locks, and soon the boy, dreamily conscious and wondrously happy, was lying before a blazing fire, clean and fair to look on, enveloped in one of Mrs. "I aint a prig; I'll not take nothink." There was a touch of injured innocence in the tone; it was simply the statement of a fact which might easily have been otherwise, and the entire matter-of-factness of the assertion inspired Lawrence with a good deal of confidence, together with the cough which returned on the slightest movement, and would effectually prevent a noiseless evasion on the part of poor Wikkey. So once more he was lifted up in the strong arms and carried to a sofa in Lawrence's own room, where snugly tucked up in blankets, he soon fell asleep. His benefactor, after prolonged meditation A terrible fit of coughing proceeding from the sofa awoke Lawrence next morning, startling him into sudden recollection of the evening's adventure; and when the shutters were opened Wikkey looked so fearfully wan and exhausted in the pale gray light, that he made all speed to summon Mrs. Evans, and to go himself for the doctor. The examination of the patient did not last long, and at its conclusion the doctor muttered something about the "workhouse—as of course, Mr. Granby, you are not prepared——" The look of imploring agony which flashed from the "All right, Wikkey. I'll come back. Well," he said, as they entered the sitting-room, "what do you think of him?" "Think? There's not much thinking in the matter; the boy is dying, Mr. Granby, and if you wish to remove him you had better do so at once." "How long will it be?" "A week or so, I should say, or it might be sooner, though these cases sometimes linger longer than one expects. The mischief is of long standing, and this is the end." Lawrence remained for some time lost in thought. "Poor little chap!" he said at last, sadly. "Do you wish any steps taken with regard to the workhouse, Mr. Granby?" asked the doctor, preparing to depart. Wikkey's beseeching eyes rose up before Lawrence, and he stammered out hastily: "No—no thank you; not just at present. I'll think about it;" and the doctor took his leave, wondering whether it could be possible that Mr. Granby intended to keep the boy; he was not much used to such Quixotic proceedings. Lawrence stood debating with himself. "Should he send Wikkey to the workhouse? What should he do with a boy dying in the house? How should he decide?" Certainly not by going back to meet those wistful eyes. The decision must be made before seeing the boy again, or, as the soft-hearted "Should you mind it very much, nurse, if I were to keep the boy here? The doctor says he is dying, so that it would not be for long, and I would take all the trouble I could off your hands. I have not made up my mind about it yet, but of course I could not decide upon anything without first consulting you." The answer, though a little stiff, was more encouraging than might have been expected from the icy severity of Mrs. Evans' manner. (Was she also making her protest on the side of common sense against a lurking desire to keep Wikkey?) "If it's your wish, Mr. Lawrence, I'm not the one to turn out a homeless boy. Much relieved, Lawrence sped away; it was still early, and there would be time to get this matter settled before he went down to the office if he looked sharp; and so sharp did he look that in a little more than ten minutes he had cleared the mile which lay between his lodgings and that of his cousin Reginald Trevor, senior curate of S. Bridget's East, and had burst in just as the latter was sitting down to his breakfast after morning service. And then Lawrence told his story, his voice shaking a little as he spoke of Wikkey's strange devotion to himself, and of the weary watch which had no doubt helped on the disease which was killing him, and he wound up with— "And now, Reg, what is a fellow to do? The curate's voice was a little husky too. "If that is folly, commend me to a fool," he said: and then, after some moments of silent thought—"I don't see why you should not keep the boy, Lawrence; you have no one to think of except yourself, unless, indeed, Mrs. Evans—" "Oh, she's all right!" broke in his cousin; "I believe she has taken a fancy to Wikkey." "Then I do not see why you should not take your own way in the matter, provided always that the boy's belongings do not stand in the way. You must consider that, Lawrence; you may be bringing a swarm about you, and Wikkey's relations may not prove as disinterested as himself." "But that is just the beauty of it; he hasn't any belongings, for I asked him; be "That being so," said Reginald, slowly; "and if you do not feel alarmed about your spoons, I don't see why you should not make the little soul happy, and"—he added with a smile—"get a blessing too, old fellow, though I doubt you will bring a sad time on yourself, Lawrence." Lawrence gave a sort of self-pitying little shrug, but did not look daunted, and his cousin went on— "Meanwhile, I think the hag ought to be made aware of your intentions; she will be looking out for her rent." "Bother! I forgot all about that," exclaimed Lawrence, "and I haven't a minute to spare; I must race back to set the boy's mind at rest, and its close upon nine now. What's to be done?" As Lawrence encountered Wikkey's penetrating gaze, he felt glad that his mind was made up; and when the question came in a low, gasping voice, "I say, guvner, are you going to send me away?" he sat down on the end of the sofa and answered: "No, Wikkey, you are going to stay with me." "Always?" Lawrence hesitated, not knowing quite what to say. "Always is a long time off; we needn't think about that; you are going to stay "I'll be as good as ever I know how," said Wikkey, meekly; "and I reckon I sha'n't have much call to tell lies. Yes, I'll be good, guvner, if you let me stop;" and again the black eyes were raised to his in dog-like appeal, and fixed on his face with such intensity that Lawrence felt almost embarrassed, and glad to escape after eliciting the "hag's" address, and promising to return in the evening. "I will look in this evening and tell you what I have done," Reginald said, as they went out together; "and also to get a peep at Wikkey, about whom I am not a little curious." "He has got the first element of religion in him, at any rate. He has learned to look up." Lawrence reddened, and gave a short laugh, saying— "I'm not so sure of that;" and the two men went on their respective ways. The "hag" began by taking up the offensive line, uttering dark threats as to "police" and "rascals as made off without paying what they owed." Then she assumed the defensive, "lone widows as has to get their living and must look sharp after their honest earnings;" and finally became pathetic over the "motherless boy" on whom she had seemingly lavished an almost "Sarah Wilkins, Wilkins! might that not account for Wikkey's odd name? Wilkins, Wilky, Wikkey; it did not seem unlikely. "Well," he said, "so this is Wikkey; how are you getting on, Wikkey?" The black eyes scanned his face narrowly for a moment, and then a high weak voice said in a tone of great disapprobation: "It wouldn't warm a chap much fur to look at him; he ain't much to look at, anyhow;" and Wikkey turned away his head and studied the cretonne pattern on his sofa, as if there were nothing more to be said on the subject. Evidently, the fair, almost fragile face which possessed such attraction for Lawrence in his strength had none for the weakly boy; possibly he had seen too But Lawrence, unreasonably nettled, broke out hotly— "Wikkey, you mustn't talk like that!" while the curate laughed and said: "All right, Wikkey, stick to Mr. Granby; but I hope you and I will be good friends yet;" then drawing another chair up to the fire he began to talk to his cousin. Presently the high voice spoke again— "Why mustn't I, guvner?" "Why mustn't you what?" "Talk like that of him?" pointing to Reginald. "Because it's not civil. Mr. Trevor is my friend, and I am very fond of him." "Must I like everythink as you like?" "Yes, of course," said Lawrence, rather amused. He lay still after that, while the two men talked, but Reginald noted how the boy's eyes were scarcely ever moved from Lawrence's face. As he took leave of his cousin in the hall, he said— "You will do more for him just now than I could, Lawrence; you will have to take him in hand." "But I haven't the faintest notion what to do, Reg. I shall have to come to you and get my lesson up. What am I to begin with?" "Time will show; let it come naturally. Of course I will give you any help I can, but you will tackle him far better than I could. You have plenty to work upon, for if ever a boy loved with his whole heart and soul, that boy loves you." "It will do a great deal; a soul that loves something better than itself is not far off loving the Best. Good night, old fellow." Lawrence went back to Wikkey, and leant his back against the mantelpiece, looking thoughtfully down at the boy. "What did the other chap call you?" inquired Wikkey. "Granby, do you mean?" Wikkey nodded. "Lawrence Granby,—that is my name. But, Wikkey, you must not call him 'chap'; you must call him Mr. Trevor." "Oh, my eye! he's a swell, is he? I never call you nothink only guvner; I shall call you Lawrence; it's a big name like you, and a deal nicer nor guvner." Lawrence gave a little laugh. Was it his "Very well," he said. "By-the-by, Wikkey, have you recollected your own other name?" "Yes, I've minded it. It's Whiston." "Do you remember your father and mother?" "I don't remember no father. Mother, she died after I took to the crossing." "Do you know what her name was before she was married?" Wikkey shook his head. "Don't know nothink," he said. Lawrence showed him the old Bible, but it awoke no recollections in the boy's mind; he only repeated, "I don't know nothink." "Wikkey," said Lawrence again, after a "I dunno. I liked the looks of yer the very first time as ever you came over, and after that I thought a deal of yer. I thought that if you was King of England, I'd have 'listed and gone for a soldier. I don't think much of queens myself, but I'd have fought for you, and welcome. And I thought as I wouldn't have had you see me cheat Jim of his coppers. I dunno why;" and a look of real perplexity came into Wikkey's face as the problem presented itself to his mind. "Did you often cheat Jim?" "Scores o' times," answered the boy composedly. "We'd play pitch-and-toss, and then I'd palm a ha' penny, and Jim he'd never twig." A quick turn of the bony wrist showed how dexterously the trick had been done, and Wikkey went off The puckers in the thin face were so irresistibly comical that Lawrence found it hard to preserve his own gravity: however, he contrived to compose his features, and to say, with a touch of severity— "I can tell why you wouldn't have liked me to see you; it was because you knew you were doing wrong." Wikkey's face expressed no comprehension. "It was wicked to cheat Jim, and you were a bad boy when you did it." "My stars! why, he could have got 'em from me in a juffy; he was twice my size. I only boned 'em cos he was such a soft." The explanation appeared perfectly sat "It was wicked all the same; and though I did not see you do it, there was Someone Who did—Someone Who sees everything you do. Have you ever heard of God, Wikkey?" "Yes, I've heard on Him. I've heard the Name times about. ('How used?' wondered Lawrence.) Where is he?" "He is everywhere, though you cannot see Him, and He sees everything you do." "Is he good?" "Very good." "As good as you?" "A great deal better." Poor Lawrence felt very uncomfortable, not quite knowing how to place his instructions on a less familiar footing. "I don't want no one better nor you; you're good enough for me," said Wikkey, very decidedly; and then Lawrence gave it up in despair, and mentally resolving that Reg must help him, he carried Wikkey off to bed.
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