pit. What's an old woman like me wi' only one sound leg and a pair
o' crutches, to go on sic' like a journey?"

"If I could, I'd take you home with me, Aunt Ellen; if I were only
sure of the outcome of this trouble, I would anyway--but to take you
there to a home of sorrow--"

"There, Hester, dear. Don't ye greet. It's my opeenion ye're goin' to
find yer son an' tak him in yer arms ance mair. Ye were never the
right wife for Peter. I can see that. Ye're too saft an' gentle."

"I'm thinking how Peter has borne this trouble alone, all these
years, and suffered, trying to keep the sorrow from me."

"Yes, dear, yes. Peter told us all aboot it whan he was here, an' he
bade us not to lat ye ken a word aboot it, but to keep from ye all
knowledge of it. Noo it's come to ye by way of this letter fra yer
frien', an' I'm thinkin' it's the best way; for noo, at last ye ha'e
it in ye're power to go an' maybe save an innocent man, for it's no
like a son of our Katherine would be sic' like a base coward as to try
to win oot from justice by lyin' himsel' intil his victim's own home.
I'll no think it."

"Nor I, Aunt Ellen. It's unbelievable! And of Richard--no. I loved
Richard. He was like my own son to me--and Peter Junior loved him,
too. They may have quarreled--and even he might--in a moment of anger,
he might have killed my boy,--but surely he would never do a thing
like this. They are making some horrible mistake, or Mary Ballard
would never have written me."

"Noo ye're talkin' sense. Keep up courage an' never tak an' affliction
upo' yersel' until it's thrust upo' ye by Providence."

Thus good Aunt Ellen in her neat black bonnet and shawl and black
mits, seated at Hester's side in the cab holding to her crutches,
comforted and admonished her niece all the way to the station and
back, and the next day she bravely bade Jean and Hester both good-by
and settled herself in her armchair to wait patiently for news from
them.

CHAPTER XXXIV

JEAN CRAIGMILE'S RETURN

When at last Jean Craigmile returned, a glance at her face was quite
enough to convince Ellen that things had not gone well. She held her
peace, however, until her sister had had time to remove her bonnet and
her shawl and dress herself for the house, before she broke in upon
Jean's grim silence. Then she said:--

"Weel, Jean. I'm thinkin' ye'd better oot wi' it."

"Is Tillie no goin' to bring in the tea? It's past the hour. I see she
grows slack, wanti