est he should reel and
fall, he stumbled out at the threshold, sobbing beneath his breath,
"Sunlocks, my boy; Sunlocks, I am coming to you--I am coming to you."

Chalse A'Killey followed them out, muttering in an under-breath some
deep imprecations that no one heeded. "Strange," said he, "the near I
was to crucifying the Lord afresh and swearing a mortal swear, only I
remembered my catechism and the good John Wesley."

At the gate to the road they met Jason, who was coming down from
Barrule with birds at his belt. With bewildered looks Jason stood and
looked at them as they came up, a sorry spectacle, in the brightness
of the midday sun. Old Adam himself strode heavily along, with his
face turned down and his white hair falling over his cheeks. By his
side Greeba walked bearing herself as proudly as she might, with her
head thrown back and her wet eyes trying hard to smile. A pace or two
behind came Chalse with his pony and cart grunting hoarsely in his
husky throat. Not a word of greeting did they give to Jason, and he
asked for no explanation, for he saw it all after a moment: they
being now homeless had drifted back to their old home and had just
been turned away from it. And not a word of pity did he on his part
dare to offer them, but in the true sympathy of silence he stepped up
to Adam and gave him his strong arm to lean upon, and then turned
himself about to go their way.

They took the road to Ramsey, and little was said by any of them
throughout the long two miles of the journey, save only by Chalse,
who never ceased to mutter dark sayings to himself, whereof the chief
were praises to God for delivering them without loss of life or limb
or hand or even out of a den of lions, for, thanks be to the Lord! He
had drawn their teeth.

Now though the world is hard enough on a good man in the hour of his
trouble, there are ever more tender hearts to compassionate his
distresses than bitter ones to triumph over his adversity, and when
Adam Fairbrother came to Ramsey many a door was thrown open to him by
such as were mindful of his former state and found nothing in his
fall to merit their resentment. No hospitality would he accept,
however, but took up his abode with Greeba in a little lodging in the
market place, with its face to the cross and its back towards the
sea. And being safely housed there, he thanked Jason at the door for
the help of his strong arm, and bade him come again at ten o'clock
that night, if s