to tell
you. My brother will be here to-morrow."

Jed had been expecting to hear this very thing almost any day, but
he was a little startled nevertheless.

"Sho!" he exclaimed. "You don't tell me!"

"Yes. He is coming on the evening train to-morrow. I had word
from him this morning."

Jed's hand moved to his chin. "Hum . . ." he mused. "I guess
likely you'll be pretty glad to see him."

"I shall be at least that," with a little break in her voice. "You
can imagine what his coming will mean to me. No, I suppose you
can't imagine it; no one can."

Jed did not say whether he imagined it or not.

"I--I'm real glad for you, Mrs. Ruth," he declared. "Mrs. Ruth"
was as near as he ever came to fulfilling their agreement
concerning names.

"I'm sure you are. And for my brother's sake and my own I am very
grateful to you. Mr. Winslow--Jed, I mean--you have done so much
for us already; will you do one thing more?"

Jed's answer was given with no trace of his customary hesitation.
"Yes," he said.

"This is really for me, perhaps, more than for Charles--or at least
as much."

Again there was no hesitation in the Winslow reply.

"That won't make it any harder," he observed, gravely.

"Thank you. It is just this: I have decided not to tell my brother
that I have told you of his--his trouble, of his having been--where
he has been, or anything about it. He knows I have not told
Captain Hunniwell; I'm sure he will take it for granted that I have
told no one. I think it will be so much easier for the poor boy if
he can come here to Orham and think that no one knows. And no one
does know but you. You understand, don't you?" she added, earnestly.

He looked a little troubled, but he nodded.

"Yes," he said, slowly. "I understand, I cal'late."

"I'm sure you do. Of course, if he should ask me point-blank if I
had told any one, I should answer truthfully, tell him that I had
told you and explain why I did it. And some day I shall tell him
whether he asks or not. But when he first comes here I want him to
be--to be--well, as nearly happy as is possible under the
circumstances. I want him to meet the people here without the
feeling that they know he has been--a convict, any of them. And
so, unless he asks, I shall not tell him that even you know; and I
am sure you will understand and not--not--"

"Not say anything when he's around that might let the cat out of
the bag. Yes, yes, I see. Well, I'l