cy."

"You shall tell any thing you want, dearie. You're just like a bright
angel to old Mother Haldane. I'm nigh tired of seeing frightened faces.
It's good to have one face that'll look at you quiet and kind; and
nobody never did that these forty years. Where be your friends, my
maid? You'll want to go to them, of course, when you're fit to
journey."

"I have no friends but One," said the girl softly: "and He is with me
now. I shall go to Him some day, when He has done His work in me and by
me. As to other earthly friends, I would not harm the few I might
mention, by letting their names be linked with mine, and they would be
afraid to own me. For my childhood's friends, _they_ are all over-sea.
I have no friend save God and you."

When Ermine said, "He is with me now," the old woman had glanced round
as if afraid of seeing some unearthly presence. At the last sentence
she rose--for she had been kneeling by the girl--with a shake of her
head, and went outside the screen, muttering to herself.

"Nobody but the snow-bird would ever link them two together! Folks
think I'm Sathanas' thrall."

She put more sticks on the fire, muttering while she did so.

"`Goodness and mercy!' Eh, deary me! There's not been much o' that for
the old witch. Folks are feared of even a white witch, and I ain't a
black 'un. Ay, feared enough. They'll give me things, for fear. But
nobody loves me--no, nobody loves me!"

With a vessel of hot broth in her hands, she came back to the niche
behind the screen.

"Now, my dearie, drink it up. I must leave you alone a while at after.
I'm going out to beg a coverlet and a bit more victuals. You're not
afeared to be left? There's no need, my dear--never a whit. The worst
outlaw in all the forest would as soon face the Devil himself as look
behind this screen. But I'll lock you in if you like that better."

"As you will, Mother Haldane. The Lord will take care of me, in the way
He sees best for me, and most for His glory."

"I'll lock you in. It'll not be so hard for Him then. Some'at new,
bain't it, for the like o' me to think o' helping Him?"

Ermine answered only by a smile. Let the old woman learn to come nigh
to God, she thought, however imperfectly; other items could be put right
in time.

It was nearly three hours before Haldane returned, and she came so well
laden that she had some work to walk. A very old fur coverlet hung over
her left arm, while on her righ