第72章

God knows you have earned it, if bringing such a poor tool back to the world and his family can be called a service. Tell the vrouw what's to pay, mynheer. She will hand out the sum right willingly.""Tut, tut!" said the doctor kindly. "Say nothing about money. Ican find plenty of such pay any time, but gratitude comes seldom.

That boy's thank-you," he added, nodding sidewise toward Hans, was pay enough for me.""Like enough ye have a boy of your own," said Dame Brinker, quite delighted to see the great man becoming so sociable.

Dr. Boekman's good nature vanished at once. He gave a growl (at least, it seemed so to Gretel), but made no actual reply.

"Do not think the vrouw meddlesome, mynheer," said Raff. "She has been sore touched of late about a lad whose folks have gone away--none knows where--and I had a message for them from the young gentleman.""The name was Boomphoffen," said the dame eagerly. "Do you know aught of the family, mynheer?"The doctor's reply was brief and gruff.

"Yes. A troublesome set. They went long since to America.""It might be, Raff," persisted Dame Brinker timidly, "that the meester knows somebody in that country, though I'm told they are mostly savages over there. If he could get the watch to the Boomphoffens with the poor lad's message, it would be a most blessed thing.""Tut, vrouw, why pester the good meester, and dying men and women wanting him everywhere? How do ye know ye have the true name?""I'm sure of it," she replied. "They had a son Lambert, and there's an L for Lambert and a B for Boomphoffen, on the back, though, to be sure, there's an odd J, too, but the meester can look for himself."So saying, she drew forth the watch.

"L.J.B.!" cried Dr. Boekman, springing toward her.

Why attempt to describe the scene that followed? I need only say that the lad's message was delivered to his father at last, delivered while the great surgeon was sobbing like a little child.

"Laurens! My Laurens!" he cried, gazing with yearning eyes at the watch as he held it tenderly in his palm. "Ah, if I had but known sooner! Laurens a homeless wanderer--great heaven! He may be suffering, dying at this moment! Think, man, where is he?

Where did my boy say that the letter must be sent?"Raff shook his head sadly.

"Think!" implored the doctor. Surely the memory so lately awakened through his aid could not refuse to serve him in a moment like this.

"It is all gone, mynheer," sighed Raff.

Hans, forgetting distinctions of rank and station, forgetting everything but that his good friend was in trouble, threw his arms around the doctor's neck.

"I can find your son, mynheer. If alive, he is SOMEWHERE. The earth is not so very large. I will devote every day of my life to the search. Mother can spare me now. You are rich, mynheer.

Send me where you will."

Gretel began to cry. It was right for Hans to go, but how could they ever live without him?"Dr. Boekman made no reply, neither did he push Hans away. His eyes were fixed anxiously upon Raff Brinker. Suddenly he lifted the watch and, with trembling eagerness, attempted to open it.

Its stiffened spring yielded at last; the case flew open, disclosing a watch paper in the back bearing a group of blue forget-me-nots. Raff, seeing a shade of intense disappointment pass over the doctor's face, hastened to say, "There was something else in it, mynheer, but the young gentleman tore it out before he handed it to me. I saw him kiss it as he put it away.""It was his mother's picture," moaned the doctor. "She died when he was ten years old. Thank God! The boy had not forgotten!

Both dead? It is impossible!" he cried, starting up. "My boy is alive. You shall hear his story. Laurens acted as my assistant.

By mistake he portioned out the wrong medicine for one of my patients--a deadly poison--but it was never administered, for Idiscovered the error in time. The man died that day. I was detained with other bad cases until the next evening. When Ireached home my boy was gone. Poor Laurens!" sobbed the doctor, breaking down completely. "Never to hear from me through all these years. His message disregarded. Oh, what he must have suffered!"Dame Brinker ventured to speak. Anything was better than to see the meester cry.

"It is a mercy to know the young gentleman was innocent. Ah, how he fretted! Telling you, Raff, that his crime was like unto murder. It was sending the wrong physic that he meant. Crime indeed! Why, our own Gretel might have done that! Like enough the poor young gentleman heard that the man was dead--that's why he ran, mynheer. He said, you know, Raff, that he never could come back to Holland again, unless"--she hesitated--"ah, your honor, ten years is a dreary time to be waiting to hear from--""Hist, vrouw!" said Raff sharply.

"Waiting to hear"--the doctor groaned--"and I, like a fool, sitting stubbornly at home, thinking that he had abandoned me. Inever dreamed, Brinker, that the boy had discovered the mistake.

I believed it was youthful folly, ingratitude, love of adventure, that sent him away. My poor, poor Laurens!""But you know all, now, mynheer," whispered Hans. "You know he was innocent of wrong, that he loved you and his dead mother. We will find him. You shall see him again, dear meester.""God bless you!" said Dr. Boekman, seizing the boy's hand. "It may be as you say. I shall try--I shall try--and, Brinker, if ever the faintest gleam of recollection concerning him should come to you, you will send me word at once?""Indeed we will!" cried all but Hans, whose silent promise would have satisfied the doctor even had the others not spoken.

"Your boy's eyes," he said, turning to Dame Brinker, "are strangely like my son's. The first time I met him it seemed that Laurens himself was looking at me.""Aye, mynheer," replied the mother proudly. "I have marked that you were much drawn to the child."For a few moments the meester seemed lost in thought, then, arousing himself, he spoke in a new voice. "Forgive me, Raff Brinker, for this tumult. Do not feel distressed on my account.