The herald., 1897-01-24

AYE, she does. She has written how
they are starving poor, and she asks
nothing for herself. cause of her dis
obedience, but for the child she asks,
hoping 1t will come to her through him. !"
He is an ugly child" / let out those
words absently, thinking 1T would be a
better chance II he'd q petty face to
passport him into favor.
"Ugly!' she repeated, 'mazed. you
call him ugly. with his eyes looking so
clear and straight as though they new
er seen an ugly thing In all their lives.
but had come from watching angels and
such like as would dazzle us? l see the
love of the Lord-which 1 forget upon
times-look at me through his eyes, Sa-
rah.''
She wrung her hands and rocked her
self to and fro, fretting dreadful.
ut is long walk for the boy" said,
kind of tender for 1 was vexed with my
self for having let slip anything to hurt
| her.
He's light" she said, quickly. "If he
gets a bit tired he's no weight to carry;
but it's cold. Sarah, and 1 thought of
| your winter cloak not having one my
self, so came to ask"
l silenced her by running off to fetch
the cloak before she'd finished speak
ing.
She wore thin gingham frock-pa-
pei WOulQ HdN6 Occu dS wal III ohN %
substantial, and she was very short In
the way of petticoats. l was glad to put
my linsey cloak round her lean shoul-
ders and cover up her arr&S which were
shaped like slate pencils anS mottled In
color. She thanked me very quiet, not
looking at the cloak but hanging her
head. ALL the spirit was swept clean
out of her.
DO you know your way to the big
0p oh
AYE, 1 have been out twice with let
ters from the lady. The old gentleman
dldh't answer neiAer of them by word
or sign. So I'm to take the child now,
and leave him there, and he's as shy as
a wild bird"
well. WELL" I says, "he will meet
with kindness, Ellen. you may be sure
of that
II can't be sure" she says. choked
and dry IN the throat, kindness isn't
certain, not so certain as you think.
How can have the heart to leave him
there alone, and he as shy as a wild
bird?"
Don't fret yourself; you'll have him
back tomorrow, never fear. But start
off early, for it's long walk. and q
lonely walk over the downs. with the
wind in your teeth and a child by the
hand. 1t will have come over dark
atore you're home, Ellen, If you don't
look sharp"
Come over dark" she repeated to her.
self, as though there was more in the
words than I knew, and without wish
ing me good-by. or casting a glance at
the clock. which was pretty enough to
look at anywhere, she turned and left
me.
She did not get off early after all; 1t
was o'clock and more In the afternoon
before she passed our house was
watching for her from the window.
| tapped the pane, but she didn't look
back. She was bending over the boy
whom she held by the hand
He was muffied up in a rough coat,
and had a thick comforter around his
| neck. He was capering along like
children will on first setting out. before
they get tired. 1 was thinking that Ell
len didn't show off the cloak at all, for
she hung her head and slouched along,
STOPPING. 1 think different now, and
though the cloak is puckered UP all man.
ner of colors with the wet, will keep
1t so long as keep anything, not for its
worth-it wouldn't fetch a six-pence-
but because that she, that poor, round
backed slip Of thing-she wore it. The
wind had sunk bit as Ellen and Master
Basil started, though the sky locked
| threatening, for there were clouds piled
| like great mountains in the north, while
q iOS M1S tHiNh CNCi liiC oCd ii6il Qp W
| the foot of the cliffs.
But before long It began to blow hard
and the clouds rolled up before the
wind spreading east and west, and
south and north, dark as a curtain. The
| storm came down sharp and quick, and
| fierce, as q winter STORM is wont to come
upon the coast. for it's open sea here. no
channel, nor gulf, no sort of break for
wind or waves 'twixt this and America.
1t was awful to hear the sea and the
wind; it was awful to see the driving,
binding snow; the day was turned to
| dusk-nay, 1t was dark as night by
| o'clock; every house was lighted up, and
, every soul who could was within doors
! Where there was a crack or crevice, or
an open keyhole in the house the gale
drove the snow through thick in a min
ute, and drifted it up outside in the
street foot or two deep almost afcre
you knew the snow was falling.
A fearful sea was cunning; you could
hear the booming of the breakers through
the roar of the wind.
l was nearly beside myself with think
ing of Ellen and the child, wondering if
they had reached the shelter of the big
house before the storm came upon them
and shivering for fear. l ran in next door
and burst into the dining room, forget
ting my manners. I was taken out of
myself with anxiety; I was, indeed.