head a little on one side, as she gazed thoughtfully into
the fire. "I always run or walk the whole way when I play the prodigal
son. I begin rather slowly, because it looks a long way off, but when I
come near I hurry. I'm wanting to be there when I see my home. The
prodigal son didn't have a train in the Bible, and I think Tommy might
have tried to do without it."

The tone of reproach at the end of her speech was too much for her
uncle's gravity, and he laughed aloud.

"I am afraid Tommy has sadly disappointed you. Did he take a cab from
the station?"

"No, he didn't do that. He got home in the afternoon, and Maxwell was
cleaning his gun on the doorstep, when he saw a shadow, and he looked up
and there he was! Oh! I should like to have been there, but I'm sorry to
say Maxwell didn't fall on his neck and kiss him. I asked Tommy very
carefully about it, and he said he took hold of both his hands and
squeezed them tight, and he gave a shout, and Mrs. Maxwell was doing her
washing in the back yard, and she heard it, and she shook all over so
that she could hardly walk. She cried so much when she saw Tommy that
Maxwell had to pat her on the back and give her a glass of water; and
Tommy he sat down on the little seat inside the porch, and he
said--these were his very words, uncle--'I ain't fit to come home,
father. I'm a disgrace to your name,' and Mrs. Maxwell--Tommy told
me--she just took his head between her two hands, and drew it to rest on
her shoulder, and then she bent down and kissed him all over and she
said:--

"'My boy, who should you come to when you are in disgrace and trouble
but your own father and mother?'

"Tommy said, when he told me this, 'It fair broke my heart, miss,' and
then he gave a great sob, and I began to cry, and then Mrs. Maxwell came
up, and her hands were all floury, for she was making an apple pudding,
and she cried too, and then we all cried together--at least, Tommy
turned his head away and pretended he didn't, but I saw he did."

Milly paused for breath, and her eyes looked wistfully into the glowing
coals before her.

"I didn't know prodigal sons were sad when they came back, but Tommy
seemed so sad that he made me sad too. Why do you think Tommy cried,
uncle?"

Sir Edward did not reply. He was gazing dreamily into the fire, and
something of the wistfulness in his little niece's face seemed to be
reflected in his. He gave a start after a moment's silence.

"Eh, child? What