le
about that, it will be all right. You must be quite quiet, and
not trouble yourself about anything, that you may get well and
about again."

"Nay, nay, Master Tom. I be gwine whoam; ees, I be gwine whoam to
my maester, Harry's father--I knows I be--and you'll stand by un
when I be gone; and Squire Brown 'll say a good word for un to
the justices?"

"Yes, Betty, that he will. But you must cheer up, and you'll get
better yet; don't be afraid."

"I beant afeard, Master Tom; no, bless you, I beant afeard but
what the Lord'll be mussiful to a poor lone woman like me, as has
had a sore time of it since my measter died wi' a hungry boy like
our Harry to kep, back and belly; and the rheumatics terrible bad
all winter time."

"I'm sure, Betty, you have done your duty by him, and everyone
else."

"Dwontee speak o' doin's, Master Tom. 'Tis no doin's o' ourn
as'll make any odds where I be gwine."

Tom did not know what to answer; so he pressed her hand and
said,--

"Well, Betty, I am very glad I have seen you once more; I sha'n't
forget it. Harry sha'n't want a friend while I live."

"The Lord bless you, Master Tom, for that word," said the dying
woman, returning the pressure, as her eyes filled with tears.
Katie, who had been watching her carefully from the other side of
the bed, made him a sign to go.

"Good-bye, Betty" he said; "I won't forget, you may be sure; God
bless you;" and then, disengaging his hand gently, went out again
into the porch, where he sat down to wait for his cousin.

In a few minutes the nurse returned, and Katie came out of the
cottage soon afterwards.

"Now I will walk up home with you," she said. "You must come in
and see papa. Well, I'm sure you must be glad you went in. Was
not I right?"

"Yes, indeed; I wish I could have said something more to comfort
her."

"You couldn't have said more. It was just what she wanted."

"But where is her son? I ought to see him before I go."

"He has gone to the doctor's for some medicine. He will be back
soon."

"Well, I must see him; and I should like to do something for him
at once. I'm not very flush of money, but I must give you
something for him. You'll take it; I shouldn't like to offer it
to him."

"I hardly think he wants money; they are well off now. He earns
good wages, and Betty has done her washing up to this week."

"Yes, but he will be fined, I suppose, for this assault; and
then, if she should die, there will be the funeral