313
" I have not left them at all. They are hore, within a
few yards of us. In short, they are in the stable I did
not like to bring thorn indoors till I had seen von,
mother, and broken the bad news a bit to you. Thov
were very tired, aud are resting out tlmre on some straw.1'
Mrs. Hall's fortitude visibly broke down. "A starv
ing son, a starving wife, starving children. Let it bo.
But why is this oome to us now, to-day, to-night? Why
have you done us this wrong, Philip? What respectable
man will oome here and marry open-eyed into a family
of vagabonds! "
"Nonsense, mother!" said Sally vehemently, while
her faoe flushed. " Charley isn't the man to desert mo!
lint if he should be, and won't marry mo because Phil's
oome, let him go and marry elsewhere. I won't lie
ashamed of my own flosh and blood for any man iu Enu-lnnd-notl!"
The son stood up. "Mother," he said, "as I have
come, so I will go. All I ask of you is that yon will
allow me and mine to lie in your stable to-night I give
you my word that we'll be gone by break of day and
trouble yon no further."
Mrs. Hall, the mother, changed at that " Oh, no,"
she answered hastily, " never shall it be said that 1 sent
nuy of my own family from my door, llring Vm in,
I'lulip, or take me out to them.
" We will put 'em all into the largo bedroom," said
Sally brightening, " and make up a large fire. Let's go
and help thorn in."
Sally went to fetch a lantern from the back kitchen,
but her brother said, " Yon won't want a light. I lit the
lantern that was hanging there."
" What must we call your wife?" aHkod Mrs. Hull.
" Helena; but one minute before you go, I - I haven't
confessed all."
"Then heaven help us!" said Mrs. Hall, pausing at
the door in calm despair.
" We passed through Verton as we came," ho con
tinued, "and the carrier had oome in from Caaterlridge
at tlmt moment, and asked me to bring on a dressmaker's
parcel for Sally that wbb marked 'immediate.' "fwns a
flimsy parcel, and the paper was torn, and I found on
looking at it that it was a thick, warm gown. I didn't
wish you to see poor Helens in a shabby state. I was
ashamed that you should 'twas not what he was Wn
to. I untied the parcel in the road and told her I had
managed to got it for her, and that sho was to ask no
questions. She, poor thing, must have suposod I oh
tninod it on trnnt, through having reached a place where
I was known, for she put it on gladly enough. She has
it on now. Sally has other gowns, 1 dare By."
Sally looked Bt her mother, soocIiIchs.
" You Imve others, I dare say," rcMntod Phil, with a
sick man's impatience. "I thought to myself, 'Hotter
Sally cry than Helena freeze.' Well, is the dress of
great consequence? "f was nothing very ornamental, as
far as I could see."
" No, no, not of consequence," returned Hall v sadly,
adding in a gentle voice, " You will iiot mind if I lend
her another instead of that one, will you?
Philip's Bgitntion Bt the confession had brought on
ti.... .J Iia Minih. which seemed to shake In in
t pieces. He was so obviously unfit to sit in chair
that they helped him up stairs at once; and having has.
tily given him a cordial and kindled the ladrooni fire,
they descended to fetch their unuappy new reunions.
III.
It was with strange feelings that the gir and her
mother, lately iio cheerful, passed out of the back u,
into the owin air of the barton, Uh.u with bay scei.U aud
the horby breath of cows. The stable door was oimmi.
Softly nearing tho dixir, Mrs. Hall pronounced the namo
"IWenn?"
There was no answer for tho moment Looking in
she was taken by surprise Two poiplo speared iieforo
her. For one, instead of the drabbish woman she had
expected, Mrs. Hall saw a pale, dark-eyed, lady-like
creature, whoso personality ruled her attire rather than
was ruled by it Klie was in a new snd handsome drexs,
of course, and an old Ismuet She was standing up, ai
talod; her hnnd was held by her companion - none else
than Sally's alllaneed, Farmer Charles Darton, upon
whose lino figure the pale stranger's eyes were fixed, as
his were fixed upon her. His other hand held the rein
of his horse, which was standing saddled as it iuat led in.
At sight of Mrs. Hall they both turned, looking at her
in a way neither quite consoious'imr unconscious, and
without seeming to recollect that words were necessary
as a solution to tho scene. Iu another moment Sally en
tered also, when Mr. Darton drop! his companion's
hand, led the horse aside, and o mm to greet his Isitrothed
and Mrs. Hall.
"Ah!" ho said smiling, with something like forced
coniMsure, "this is a roundalsiut way of arriving yon
will say, my dear Mrs. Hall. Jitit 1 saw a light here aud
led iu my horse at once; my friend Johns and my man
have L'one on to the Sheaf of Arrows with theirs, not to
crowd yon too much. No sooner had I entered than I
saw that this lady hail taken temporary shelter hens and
1 found I was mtrnding.
"She is mv daiii(htT-iii-law," said Mrs. Hall calmly.
" My son, too, is iu the house, but he has gone to bod un-
ill."
Sally had alisxl staring wonderlngly at the scone until
this moment, Imriily recognizing Darton a shake of the
hand. Tho spell that Ismnd her was broken by her per
ceiving the two little children seated on a heap of liny.
She suddenly went forward, ssikn to them, and took one
on her arm and the other in her hand.
Philip Hull who, in spite of this interruption to her
firxl rencontre, seemed scarcely so much affected by it as
to feel any one's presence in addition to Mr. Darton'.
However, arousing norsou oy a quica ronsouon, sue
threw a sudden, critical glance of her sad eyes Uxn Mrs.
Hall, aud, apparently finding her satisfactory, advanced
Li her in a meek initiative, i'hen Hally and the stranuor
sNke some friendly words to each other, and Hally went
on with the children into the house, Mrs. Hall and
Helena followed, and Mr. Darton followed these, liaising
nt Helena's dress aud outlino, and listening to her voice
like a man iu a dream.
lly the time tho others reached the house Bally had
already gone up stairs with the tired children. A bed
was in i wlii up for the little ones and some snpsr given to
them. Un descending the stairs, after seeing this done,
Sally went to the ailting-nsmi. Young Mrs. Hall en
tcrd it just in advance of her, having iu the Interim
retinal with her mother-in-law to takeoff her Unmet and
otherwise inako herself presentable. Hence it was evi
dent that no further communication could havs passed
Mwceii her aud Mr. Darton since their brief interview
ill the stable. ...
They at once sat down to suiMr, the present of wins
sml turkey not Uiing pnxliiwxl for consumption to-night,
lest the premature display of those gifts should seem to
throw doubt on Mrs. Hall's capacities as a provider.
A general conversation was begun and continued
briskly, though itwss in the main restricted to Mrs. Hall
ud Japheth Johns, who hail oome in. There being
slight call upon Sally's tongue she bail ample leisure to
do what her heart uioul desired -namely, watch let la-