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e cried excitedly。 'Here's the thief！ I shot him last night！ '
A young lady appeared at the top of the stairs。 'What's going on here？ Quiet； please！ Is this poor boy very hurt？ '
'Very； 'said the servant； proudly。
'The n one of you go to town as fast as you can and fetch a policeman and Dr Losberne。 The rest of you； help to carry the boy upstairs and put him to bed。 Treat him kindly； I beg you。 '
9 O liver starts another life
In a comfortable； pleasant sitting－room； the two ladies of the house waited anxiously for the doctor and the police to arrive。 The owner of the house； Mrs May lie； was an older woman； but her niece； Rose； was a girl of seventeen； whose quiet beauty and gentle charm won all hearts。
As soon as the doctor arrived； he ran breathlessly into the house and burst into the room without knocking。 He was clearly a good friend of the ladies。
'I never heard of such a dreadful thing！ You should both be dead of fright！ he said to Mrs May lie。 'In the silence of the night； too！ Are you both all right？ Why didn't you send for me at once？ '
'We are quite all right； said Rose； smiling。 'But the re's an injured boy upstairs whom aunt wants you to see。 '
Dr Losberne went up to examine O liver； and was the re for some time He came down looking rather puzzled； and asked the two ladies to see the boy with him。
'I can promise you the re's nothing very frightening about him； 'he said。
Instead of the evil－looking robber They expected to see； the two ladies found only a pale； thin child； lying peacefully asleep。
He looked to innocent that Mrs May lie said； 'This child could never have been in a gang of robbers！ '
'It certainly seems strange； agreed the doctor； 'but wickedness can hide behind the most gentle face； you know。 '
'But he's so young； too！ ' cried Rose。 'Can you really believe this poor boy is a criminal？ Oh； Dr Losberne； and my dear aunt； I beg you both to have pity on him。 '
Mrs May lie did not need persuading； and the doctor could not resist Rose's tears。 He had； in fact； an extremely kind heart； which he tried to hide behind a quick； fierce manner… though this usually deceived no one。
'Well； what's to be done； the n？ ' he said quickly。 'We'll have the police here at any moment； ready to take the boy away and throw him into prison！ '
Rose begged him to think of a plan； and the doctor thought hard for a few minutes； frowning fiercely。 At last he said；
'I've got it！ ' and rubbed his hand s together in satisfaction。
A little later； O liver woke up and was very anxious to tell his story； although he had lost a lot of blood and was very weak。 When the doctor and the ladies had heard all about his sad life； They were quite sure that They wanted to save O liver from any unfair punishment。 So Dr Losberne went down to the kitchen to talk to the three servants who had surprised Sikes and O liver during the robbery。 The doctor folded his arms and gave the men a long； hard stare。
'Tell me； ' he began； can you be absolutely sure that the boy upstairs is the same one that was in the house last night？ Well？ '
The doctor； usually such a friendly man； seemed so angry that the servants stared at him； open…mouthed。 The doctor
gave the m no time to think； and went on fiercely；
‘Three men see a boy for about a second in the dark； in the middle of a lot of smoke and noise。 A boy comes to the same house the next day and because one arm is injured； They think he must be the robber。 Are you going to swear that this is the same boy？ Well？ What do you say？ ' he finished impatiently。
The servants looked at each other in great confusion。
Suddenly the re was a ring at the gate； the police officers had finally arrived。 Dr Losberne gave orders that plenty of beer should be served before the officers went up to see O liver。 He also made sure that the servants had a generous amount of beer； too。
When the Officers were finally allowed to see O liver； Dr Losberne said； 'This is a boy who was shot this morning while walking on a farmer's property where he shouldn't have been。 The servants saw him and immediately thought he must be the same boy from last night。 But now They say They're sure it's not the same boy。 '
The servants were by now so confused by beer and excitement that They were not sure of anything at all． The robbers had certainly had a boy with the m； They said； but whether this boy was the same boy… well； it seemed very doubtful。 The police； too； had drunk quite a lot of beer by now； and before long They were very willing to believe that O liver was not the robber of the night before。 They had their own ideas about who committed all the robberies in the area； and O liver was unknown to the m。
At last the police left； and O liver was allowed to recover in the kind care of Mrs May lie； Rose； and Dr Losberne。 It was several weeks before he was well enough to get out of bed。 But the n he quickly grew stronger； and every day told his rescuers how grateful he was。 One thing； however； caused him unhappiness。 He wanted to find Mr Brown low ； the kind old man who had looked after him in London。 'Mr Brown low would be pleased to know how happy I am now； 'he said。 So when Dr Losberne offered to take O liver to London to see Mr Brown low ； the boy was very pleased。
They set out by coach one fine morning； and when They arrived in London； They went straight to Mr Brown low 's house。 O liver's heart beat with excitement as They stopped outside。 But the house was empty。 They were told by the people next door that Mr Brown low had moved to the West Indies six weeks before。 O liver was very disappointed； he had thought about Mr Brown low so much recently； and had always hoped to find him again。 But now the kind old man had moved abroad； still believing O liver was a lying thief； and he might hold this belief until the day he died。
This was a bitter disappointment to O liver； but his new friends were still as kind to him as ever。 They left the house in Chertsey and moved to a quiet cottage it the country； taking O liver with the m Spring came； and in the fresh air； away from the noise and smoke and trouble of the city； O liver began a new life。 He went for walks with Rose and Mrs May lie； or Rose read to him； and he worked hard at his lessons。 He felt as if he had left behind forever the world of crime and hardship and poverty。
10 Life in the country
The weeks slipped contentedly past； and spring turned into summer。 O liver was now a strong and healthy boy； and very fond of Rose and Mrs May lie as They were of him。
One hot summer evening； after a walk in the country； Rose became very weak and pale； and confessed she felt ill。 By the next morning she was in a dangerous fever； and Mrs May lie and O liver were afraid she might die。 Mrs May lie sent O liver to the nearest town； four miles away； to post two express letters。 One was to Dr Losberne in Chertsey； the other to
Harry May lie； Mrs May lie's son。
O liver； filled with anxiety； ran as fast as he could along the country roads and across the fields until； hot and exhausted； he reache