d, as he bent down, "she's followed me! She's
followed me!"

It was quite true. She had never crawled far beyond the limits of the
shawl before, but this morning her longing had given her courage and
strength, and she had set out upon her journey in search of him.

Those about him burst into loud, admiring laughter, but Tom did not laugh
at all. He lifted the child to his knee and held her encircled by one
arm. She was weary with her exertion and settled at once into an easy
sitting posture, her head resting against him while she gazed quietly
from under her upcurled lashes at the faces grouped about her. Their
laughter did not disturb her now that she had reached her haven of
safety.

"To think of her a-followin' him!" said Mis' Doty, "'n' her never sot off
nowhars afore. The purty little critter! Lord! Tom, she's a-gwine ter be
a sight when she's grown--with them eyes and har! An' ter think of her
a-slippin' off from Mornin an' makin' up her little mind to follow ye.
I've never had a young 'un to try it that early in all I've raised."

"Lordy!" said Mr. Doty, "she's as sot on Tom 's he's on her, 'n' ef ever
a man wus a doggoned fool about a young 'un, he is about that'n; 'n' fur
bein' a doggoned fool"--triumphantly--"when he sets out ter be, I'll back
Tom agin any man in Hamlin."

Tom said but little. He made no more jokes. He kept the child with him
through the rest of the day, holding her upon his knee or carrying her
out upon the porch.

When at supper-time he carried her back to the room, she was asleep and
he laid her in her cradle himself. He moved about very quietly afterwards
and ate his supper alone with frequent glances at the sleeper.

"Don't take her away," he said to Mornin when she came in; "leave her
here."

"'N' hev her a-wakin' 'n' disturbin' uv ye, Mars' Tom!" she responded.

"Leave her here," he said, laying his hand on the head of the cradle.
"She'll not disturb me. We shall get along finely together."

She was left, Mornin taking her departure with manifest disbelief in the
practicability of the plan. And then, having drawn the cradle to his
bedside, Tom put out the light and retired himself.

But he did not sleep for some time; having flung his mighty body upon the
couch, he lay with his arms thrown above his head gazing at the darkness
and listening to the soft breathing at his side. He was thinking over the
one event of the day.

What might have seemed a slight thing to many men h