h a lot of money. I don't
need them. I have lived in poverty all my life, and you're making a
lady of me!"

"Of course I am, mother!" And he laughed a glad laugh. "Of course I
am! Everyone in the town shall respect and love you."

"And you've done all this for me?"

"All because I wanted to see you with me, mother. All because I wanted
you to be happy. I've only you and you've only me. And don't fear
about the money. In spite of everything I've been very successful, and
I can afford all I've bought, aye, and more. I've only got one servant
for you, mother, but, of course, you'll want others. Only I didn't
know how to choose them, and I thought you might like to do it
yourself."

"I want no servants, Paul!" she said. "I want to do everything for you
with my own hands. I want to cook for you, and scrub for you, and wash
for you, and live for you!"

"Yes, mother. But I don't wish to make you a slave, and so, whatever
you say, you must have help to do all the hard work. I am going to
make you very happy here. Do you like the house?"

"Like it!" she replied. "It's a paradise, my boy! Just a paradise!"

He called the servant to him, and told her to take his mother to her
room, and then to have the evening meal ready.

A little later they sat in the dining-room, and for the first time Paul
broke down. He was not an emotional man, nor one who gave way to
weakness, but when he sat there in his own house with his mother by his
side, and realised that they would be able to live together, that he
would have a companion for the lonely evenings, and that he would be
able to brighten his mother's life, the great deeps of his nature were
aroused. It seemed to him as though something, which had been long
dead in his being, had burst forth into life.

"I'm too happy to eat!" she said at length. "I will put away these
things and then we can talk."

"Oh, no, mother," he said. "You're tired, and the maid is here for the
purpose of doing that. Come into our little snuggery here." And he
led the way into the room on which he had bestowed so much thought.

"Paul, my boy," she sobbed. "I'm proud of you, I'm proud of you! Aye,
even although I cursed the day that you were born, and cursed God in
the bitterness of my heart for the sorrow that came upon me, I'm proud
of you! You are my own laddie! And now tell me everything, my lad!"

"No, mother, you're too tired and my story will take a long time!"

"No