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tallest and slenderest man Robert had ever seen。 He was
considerably over six feet； with a small head； and delicate； if not
fine features； a gentle look in his blue eyes； and a slow clear
voice； which sounded as if it were thinking about every word it
uttered。 The hot sun of India seemed to have burned out everything
self…assertive； leaving him quietly and rather sadly contemplative。
'Come in； come in；' repeated Mr。 Lammie； overflowing with glad
welcome。 'What'll ye hae？ There's a frien' o' yer ain；' he
continued； pointing to Robert； 'an' a fine lad。' Then lowering his
voice； he added： 'A son o' poor Anerew's； ye ken； doctor。'
The boys rose； and Dr。 Anderson； stretching his long arms across the
table； shook hands kindly with Robert and Shargar。 Then he sat down
and began to help himself to the cakes （oat…cake）； at which Robert
wondered； seeing there was 'white breid' on the table。 Miss Lammie
presently came in with the teapot and some additional dainties； and
the boys took the opportunity of beginning at the beginning again。
Dr。 Anderson remained for a few days at Bodyfauld； sending Shargar
to Rothieden for some necessaries from The Boar's Head； where he had
left his servant and luggage。 During this time Mr。 Lammie was much
occupied with his farm affairs； anxious to get his harvest in as
quickly as possible； because a change of weather was to be dreaded；
so the doctor was left a good deal to himself。 He was fond of
wandering about； but； thoughtful as he was； did not object to the
companionship which Robert implicitly offered him： before many hours
were over； the two were friends。
Various things attracted Robert to the doctor。 First； he was a
relation of his own； older than himself； the first he had known
except his father； and Robert's heart was one of the most dutiful。
Second； or perhaps I ought to have put this first； he was the only
gentleman； except Eric Ericson； whose acquaintance he had yet made。
Third； he was kind to him； and gentle to him； and； above all；
respectful to him； and to be respected was a new sensation to Robert
altogether。 And lastly； he could tell stories of elephants and
tiger hunts； and all The Arabian Nights of India。 He did not
volunteer much talk； but Robert soon found that he could draw him
out。
But what attracted the man to the boy？
'Ah！ Robert；' said the doctor one day； sadly； 'it's a sore thing to
come home after being thirty years away。'
He looked up at the sky； then all around at the hills： the face of
Nature alone remained the same。 Then his glance fell on Robert； and
he saw a pair of black eyes looking up at him； brimful of tears。
And thus the man was drawn to the boy。
Robert worshipped Dr。 Anderson。 As long as he remained their
visitor； kite and violin and all were forgotten； and he followed him
like a dog。 To have such a gentleman for a relation； was grand
indeed。 What could he do for him？ He ministered to him in all
manner of triflesa little to the amusement of Dr。 Anderson； but
more to his pleasure； for he saw that the boy was both large…hearted
and lowly…minded： Dr。 Anderson had learned to read character； else
he would never have been the honour to his profession that he was。
But all the time Robert could not get him to speak about his father。
He steadily avoided the subject。
When he went away； the two boys walked with him to The Boar's Head；
caught a glimpse of his Hindoo attendant； much to their wonderment；
received from the doctor a sovereign apiece and a kind good…bye； and
returned to Bodyfauld。
Dr。 Anderson remained a few days longer at Rothieden； and amongst
others visited Mrs。 Falconer； who was his first cousin。 What passed
between them Robert never heard； nor did his grandmother even allude
to the visit。 He went by the mail…coach from Rothieden to Aberdeen；
and whether he should ever see him again Robert did not know。
He flew his kite no more for a while； but betook himself to the work
of the harvest…field； in which he was now able for a share。 But his
violin was no longer neglected。
Day after day passed in the delights of labour； broken for Robert by
The Arabian Nights and the violin； and for Shargar by attendance
upon Miss Lammie； till the fields lay bare of their harvest； and the
night…wind of autumn moaned everywhere over the vanished glory of
the country； and it was time to go back to school。
CHAPTER XXIII。
AN AUTO DA Fé。
The morning at length arrived when Robert and Shargar must return to
Rothieden。 A keen autumnal wind was blowing far…off feathery clouds
across a sky of pale blue； the cold freshened the spirits of the
boys； and tightened their nerves and muscles； till they were like
bow…strings。 No doubt the winter was coming； but the sun； although
his day's work was short and slack； was still as clear as ever。 So
gladsome was the world； that the boys received the day as a fresh
holiday； and strenuously forgot to…morrow。 The wind blew straight
from Rothieden； and between sun and wind a bright thought awoke in
Robert。 The dragon should not be carriedhe should fly home。
After they had said farewell； in which Shargar seemed to suffer more
than Robert； and had turned the corner of the stable； they heard the
good farmer shouting after them；
'There'll be anither hairst neist year； boys；' which wonderfully
restored their spirits。 When they reached the open road； Robert
laid his violin carefully into a broom…bush。 Then the tail was
unrolled； and the dragon ascended steady as an angel whose work is
done。 Shargar took the stick at the end of the string； and Robert
resumed his violin。 But the creature was hard to lead in such a
wind； so they made a loop on the string； and passed it round
Shargar's chest； and he tugged the dragon home。 Robert longed to
take his share in the struggle； but he could not trust his violin to
Shargar； and so had to walk beside ingloriously。 On the way they
laid their plans for the accommodation of the dragon。 But the
violin was the greater difficulty。 Robert would not hear of the
factory； for reasons best known to himself； and there were serious
objections to taking it to Dooble Sanny。 It was resolved that the
only way was to seize the right moment； and creep upstairs with it
before presenting themselves to Mrs。 Falconer。 Their intended
man？uvres with the kite would favour the concealment of this stroke。
Before they entered the town they drew in the kite a little way； and
cut off a dozen yards of the string； which Robert put in his pocket；
with a stone tied to the end。 When they reached the house； Shargar
went into the little garden and tied the string of the kite to the
paling between that and Captain Forsyth's。 Robert opened the street
door； and having turned his head on all sides like a thief； darted
with his violin up the stairs。 Having laid his treasure in one of
the presses in Shargar's garret； he went to his own； and from the
skylight threw the stone down into the captain's garden； fastening
the other end of the string to the bedstead。 Escaping as cautiously
as he had entered； he passed hurriedly into their neighbour's
garden； found the stone； and joined Shargar。 The ends were soon
united； and the kite let go。 It sunk for a moment； then； arrested
by the bedstead； towered again to its former 'pride of place；'
sailing over Rothieden； grand and unconcerned； in the wastes of air。
But the end of its tether was in Robert's garret。 And that was to
him a sense of power； a thought of glad mystery。 There was
henceforth； while the dragon flew； a relation between the desolate
little chamber； in that lowly house buried among so many more
aspiring abodes； and the unmeasured depths and spaces； the stars；
and the unknown heavens。 And in the next chamber lay the fiddle
free once more；yet another magical power whereby his spirit could
forsake the earth and mount heavenwards。
All that night； all the next day； all the next night； the dragon
flew。
Not one smile broke over the face of the old lady as she received
them。 Was it because she did not know what acts of disobedience；
what breaches of the moral law； the two children of possible
perdition might have committed while they were beyond her care； and
she must not run the risk of smiling upon iniquity？ I think it was
rather that there was no smile in her religion； which； while it
developed the power of a darkened conscience； overlaid and
half…smothered all the lovelier impulses of her grand nature。 How
could she smile？ Did not the world lie under the wrath and curse of
God？ Was not her own son in hell for ever？ Had not the blood of
the Son of God been shed for him in vain？ Had not God meant that it
should be in vain？ For by the gift of his Spirit could he not have
enabled him to accept the offered pardon？ And for anything she
knew； was not Robert going after him to th