ferings, "thank God for that. I ain't a
going to fret nor worry about the winter, if I can help it. I am going
to live, if I can, from hour to hour, and from day to day, by the grace
that is given me; but if I _could_ fix it so that Graeme would see it
best to stop here a spell longer, I should find it considerable easier,
I expect."

"But she has said nothing about going away yet," said Mrs Snow, smiling
at his way of putting it. "You must take the grace of her presence, day
by day, as you do the rest, at least till she shows signs of departure."

"We never can tell how things are going to turn," said Mr Snow,
musingly. "There is that good come out of your sickness. They are both
here, and, as far as I see, they are content to be here. If we could
prevail on Will to see it his duty to look toward this field of labour,
now, I don't doubt but we could fix it so that they should make their
home, here always--right here in this house, I mean--only it would be
'most too good a thing to have in this world, I'm afraid."

"We must wait for the leadings of Providence," said his wife. "This
field, as you call it, is no' at Will's taking yet. What would your
friend, Mr Perry, think if he heard you? And as for the others, we
must not be over-anxious to keep them beyond what their brothers would
like. But, as you say, they seem content; and it is a pleasure to have
them here, greater than I can put in words; and I know you are as
pleased as I am, and that doubles the pleasure to me," added Mrs Snow,
looking gratefully toward her husband. "It might have been so
different."

"Oh! come, now. It ain't worth while, to put it in that way at this
time of day. I don't know as you'd allow it exactly; but I do think
they are about as nigh to me as they are to you. I really do."

"That's saying much, but I'll no' gainsay it," said Mrs Snow, smiling.
"They are good bairns, and a blessing wherever they may go. But I doubt
we canna hope to keep them very long with us."

"It is amazing to me. I can't seem to understand it, or reconcile it
to--."

Mr Snow paused and looked at his wife in the deprecating manner he was
wont to assume when he was not quite sure whether or not she would like
what he was going to say, and then added:

"However, she don't worry about it. She is just as contented as can be,
and no mistake; and I rather seem to remember that you used to worry a
little about her when they were here last."

"Abou