o frightened to
tell a lie, said she had stolen it from "the Kernel." Back to Gordon's
house the policeman marched her. The coat was shown to Gordon, and the
policeman asked him to charge the woman with the theft, and have her
put in prison. But this Gordon refused to do. He was really far more
distressed than was the thief herself. At last, his eyes twinkling, he
turned to the woman.

"You wanted it, I suppose?" he asked.

"Yes," said the surprised woman.

"There, there, take her away and send her about her business," he said
to the policeman, and the policeman could only obey.

The gold medal which the Empress of China had had made for him
mysteriously disappeared, no one could tell how or where. Years
afterwards, by accident, it was found that Gordon had had the
inscription taken off it, and had sent it anonymously to Manchester, to
help to buy food for the people who were starving there because of the
Cotton Famine. It cost him so much to give it up that often, when he
meant that others should give up something that was to cost them a very
great deal, he would say, "You must give up your medal."

"In slums, hospitals, and workhouse, or knee-deep in the river at work
upon the Thames defence," so he spent the six happiest years of his
life.

In 1871, to the deep sorrow of all Gravesend, he was made British
Commissioner to the European Commission of the Danube, where he had
done good work fifteen years earlier.

To his "Kings" at the Ragged Schools he left a number of magnificent
Chinese flags, trophies of his victories in China. They are still
carried aloft every year at school treats, and the name of their giver
is cheered until the echoes ring and voices grow hoarse.

To the people of Gravesend, and to people of all lands who hear the
story of those six years, he left the memory of a man whose charity was
perfect, whose mercy was without limit, and whose faith in the God he
served was never-failing.

CHAPTER V

GORDON AND THE SLAVERS

Gordon went to his work on the Danube on 1st October 1871, and remained
there until 1873.

On his return to England then, his short visit was a sad one. While he
was home his mother became paralysed, and no longer knew the son she
loved so much; and the death took place of his youngest brother, who
had shared his pranks in the long-ago happy days at Woolwich.

In the same year the Khedive of Egypt asked Gordon to come, at a salary
of L10,000 a year, to