In 1973 I read an old hardcover book containing European children’s stories. The stories were probably written in the early 1900s. In one story a boy is working for a man in a village and unknowingly helps the man rob a house; the man uses a ladder to enter the second story of the house. Someone pulls up the driveway and they flee. Days later the boy returns to the village, is forgiven, and continues to be friends with the girl who lives in the house.
I believe this is “Harding’s Luck” by E. Nesbit, published in 1909. Excellent time-travel story — one of my very favorites (and I’m picky)!
I don’t know about the book, but this story plot sounds similar to an old film I just saw, titled “Water Babies”
[Message from original poster] I found the collection; it is called “Children of the Alps.” The story is called “Lauri’s Rescue” and is written by Johanna Spyri.