“You have done well, my lad,” said the old man warmly, patting Hugh on the arm affectionately.  “And rest assured Nick is entirely innocent of this crime.  I have become deeply interested in that boy.  He has had a bad name, it is true; but somehow I seemed to feel that there were elements of great good in him, if only he could be brought to book, and made to change his ways of life.  He must have a new viewpoint of human nature, to start with.  I thought I might arouse him through talking, and fatherly advice, but so far I could not see success following my labors.  But you have hit upon an ingenious device, my boy, that promises wonderful results.  We may yet make a second Jean Valjean of the despised Nick Lang; and that would be an achievement worthy of anyone.”

Hugh felt more than repaid for all he had done when he heard the old deacon say this with such warmth.

“There was one thing I wanted to learn, sir, if you don’t mind telling me,” he went on to say.  “It concerns his engagement to come out here and help you last night.  Were you expecting him?  Was Saturday night the one he generally took to come and help you get rid of some of your extra work that couldn’t be done in the daytime, for all the horse-shoeing you have on your hands?”

The deacon smiled, and Hugh really had his answer before the old man even opened his lips.  All the same he was pleased to hear him say: 

“Up to now it has always been on Monday night Nick came out.  That was more convenient for me, as a rule, and he accommodated himself to my wishes.  But yesterday afternoon he dropped in to see me here, with his skates dangling across his shoulder, as if he had been skating.  He said he would like very much to come for that once on Saturday night, instead of Monday; and that he had a good reason for making the change, which meant a whole lot to him.”

“I see,” remarked Hugh; “and it was clever of Nick.  You agreed, of course, sir, seeing that he was here?”

“It made no particular difference to me,” added the blacksmith, “and I was glad to know the lad cared enough about the work to want to make the change.  So I told him to be along as usual about seven, as I had a raft of work on hand that would keep us until well on after eleven.  As a fact, it was fifteen minutes after that hour when Nick started for home.”

“You remember that positively then, sir,—­the hour, I mean?” asked Hugh.

“Oh!  I could swear to it,” came the reply.  “In the first place I heard the town clock strike eleven, and counted the strokes myself, remarking that we must shut up shop soon as it was getting close to Sunday morning.  Then as he was quitting Nick asked me again just what time it was, and I consulted my reliable watch.  I can see now that possibly Nick had an object in impressing the time on my mind, so I could say positively he was there at eleven, and after.  I don’t like the idea of his having known about the intended robbery, and keeping silent, but suppose he considered himself in honor bound to his former chums.”