king his
potato-cake and cream as heartily as Dick himself; and when all the old
stories had been related for the fiftieth time, old Sally produced the
greatest treasure that she owned, a little snuff-box mounted in silver,
which had been made from the horn of an ox that had been roasted whole
at the great election, when old Squire Bracefort had stood at the head
of the poll. This she gave to Dick for his own, and then setting the
boy in front of her she put his hair off his forehead and begged him
that if ever any child or children of her son Jan should appear, he
would be kind to them for her sake, and that he would think of this
when he looked at the box. Dick promised this readily, though he was a
little puzzled at her earnestness; and then she bade him good-bye and
God bless him, and prayed that he might grow up to be such another man
as his father had been. So the children and the Corporal returned to
the Hall thoughtful and subdued, though the children hardly knew why.

Two days later, early in the morning, Dick and the Corporal drove off
to meet the coach. Little Elsie stood on the steps crying silently,
but Dick was so much excited at the prospect of the journey, that he
held up bravely, and fluttered his handkerchief out of the window as
long as the house was in sight. So Lady Eleanor and Elsie waited until
the handkerchief could be seen no more, and then went in sadly
together. Lessons were a heavy task that morning; and when they were
over and Elsie was gone out, Lady Eleanor felt lonely and depressed and
out of heart with everything. She was roused by the sound of a horse
on the gravel; and presently Colonel Fitzdenys came in to say that he
had seen Dick off by the coach, and that the boy was in good spirits.
Lady Eleanor never felt more thankful for his presence than on that
morning; but they had not talked for very long, when a maid-servant
came in with a scared face to say that the strange woman from the moor
was come, and begged, if she might, to see her Ladyship directly.

So Lady Eleanor went out and Colonel George with her; and there the
woman was, with her face ghastly white, her eyes wild and weary, and
every line in her countenance ploughed thrice as deep as when they had
last seen her. She was sitting in a chair which the frightened maid
had brought to her, but rose wearily as Lady Eleanor came to her.

"Are you in trouble, my poor soul?" said Lady Eleanor, shocked at her
appearance. "