ess, among the
flowers, looking just as much as if she had been born there as ever, but
some fine part of her had crossed the boundary.

"Ah! then I am glad of that," she said.

"Yo' are very good to say as much," she answered, "but I dunnot know as
I quite understand--"

Anice drew a little nearer.

"Mr. Grace has told me about you," she said. "And Mr. Derrick."

Joan's brown throat raised itself a trifle, and Anice thought color
showed itself on her cheek.

"Both on 'em's been good to me," she said, "but I did na think as--"

Anice stopped her with a little gesture, "It was you who were so kind to
Liz when she had no friend," she began.

Joan interrupted her with sudden eagerness.

"It wur yo' as sent th' work an' th' things fur th' choild," she said.

"Yes, it was I," answered Anice. "But I hardly knew what to send. I hope
I sent the right things, did I?"

"Yes, miss; thank yo'." And then in a lower voice, "They wur a power
o' help to Liz an' me. Liz wur hard beset then, an' she's only a young
thing as canna bear sore trouble. Seemed loike that th' thowt as some un
had helped her wur a comfort to her."

Anice took courage.

"Perhaps if I might come and see her," she said. "May I come? I should
like to see the baby. I am very fond of little children."

There was a moment's pause, and then Joan spoke awkwardly.

"Do yo' know--happen yo' dunnot--what Liz's trouble is? Bein' as yo're
so young yorsen, happen they did na tell yo' all. Most o' toimes folk is
na apt to be fond o' such loike as this little un o' hers."

"I heard all the story."

"Then come if yo' loike,--an' if they'll let yo', some ud think there
wur harm i' th' choild's touch. I'm glad yo' dunna."

She did not linger much longer. Anice watched her till she was out of
sight. An imposing figure she was--moving down the road in her rough
masculine garb--the massive perfection of her form clearly outlined
against the light. It seemed impossible that such a flower as this
could blossom, and decay, and die out in such a life, without any higher
fruition.

"I have seen Joan Lowrie," said Anice to Derrick, when next they met.

"Did she come to you, or did you go to her?" Fergus asked.

"She came to me, but without knowing that she was coming."

"That was best," was his comment.

Joan Lowrie was as much a puzzle to him as she was to other people.
Despite the fact that he saw her every day of his life, he had never
found it possible to ad