The Treasure of Netherstrand

Chapter 22

Timothy couldn't help himself. He tiptoed to the open door very slowly, just to catch a glimpse of the new guest. The Carlyles were sitting in a beautiful breakfast room, flooded with morning light. Amelia, Preston, and their children were all sitting close together. And at the further end of the table, Arthur sat, staring absentmindedly into a cup of coffee.

Timothy was dying to know something about Gracie's important brother. But the young man was turned away from him, and the lad hardly caught a glimpse of the doctor's face.

"Preston, dear," Amelia began merrily, "do you not think the food at Netherstrand is some of the best you have tasted?"

"Indeed, I believe you are right!" Mr. Carlyle answered in high spirits. "The ham is excellent! Don't you agree, Arthur?"

The sound of his name roused the youth from a deep thought. "Forgive me, I did not hear the question," he admitted listlessly.

"The food served here at Netherstrand! Is it not the finest?"

Whether Arthur had planned on answering or not, Amelia spoke up instead. "Well, Preston, how could he know?" she asked. "He has hardly even touched his breakfast this morning! My dearest Arthur, this will not do! You have been in the doldrums for months now! It is high time you regained the joy of living!"

Absolute, dismal, hopeless silence was the only answer to her encouragement.

At last, the lady let out a defeated sigh. "Well, what am I to do? I cannot seem to impart to you the honest fact that life goes on after death! But then...I forgot," she added, sounding displeased. "You do not believe in life after death, do you?"

"'Believe' is a serious word, Aunt," Arthur answered quietly. "It takes a great deal of consideration."

"I don't find it so," Mrs. Carlyle stated. "Believing is something you do unquestioningly, just as everyone else has faithfully done before you! Our grandfathers were all Christians, and it ought to be a given fact that we are as well! Really, Arthur, I begin to feel very frightened for you. I am sure the preacher would agree that you are heaping judgment upon your own head."

Here Mr. Carlyle piped in with his most intimidating and judicial voice. "There will come a time when every soul will stand before the judgment seat of God."

Of course, those words were true, and there is a time and a way when the fear of judgment can work repentance inside of a heart. But there is also a time and a way when a harsh accusation spoken by hypocritical lips only makes the heart turn away in resistance.

Whether Arthur took his aunt and uncle's words to heart, or whether he heard them at all, he never offered a reply. Instead, he cast a glance around the room, and his brow suddenly clouded. "Where is Grace?" he asked.

"She woke early this morning," Amelia answered carelessly. "I suspect she is enjoying her solitude. That girl has never been very sociable. The silly thing would rather stay by herself reading a book than keep company with us. It is a character weakness of which I cannot for the life of me break her!"

Timothy couldn't stay any longer. He had an errand to run, and he had to hurry away. But, through all of his chores, the things which he had seen and heard kept tumbling around in his mind.

Gracie's brother don't seem like a very jolly chap, he noted. I wonder why that is? An' what was it they was sayin' about believin'? He was really at a loss to know. But he knew that it was troublesome and important. And somehow, he felt sure that it had something to do with the dismalness of Arthur's attitude.

Hours passed by and Gracie never did come to the breakfast table. Mr. and Mrs. Carlyle weren't worried at all. They had never kept a tight rein on the girl. As long as she was back in time to begin her lessons, they didn't seem to care where she went or how long she stayed away. But Timothy did, and as a whole hour slid by, he began to wonder about her.