HAPTER IX.

MARAH ROCKE.

"There sits upon her matron face
A tender and a thoughtful grace,
Though very still,--for great distress
Hath left this patient mournfulness."

Beside an old rocky road leading from the town of Staunton out to the
forest-crowned hills beyond, stood alone a little, gray stone cottage,
in the midst of a garden inclosed by a low, moldering stone wall. A few
gnarled and twisted fruit trees, long past bearing, stood around the
house that their leafless branches could not be said to shade. A little
wooden gate led up an old paved walk to the front door, on each side of
which were large windows.

In this poor cottage, remote from other neighbors, dwelt the friends of
Herbert Greyson--the widow Rocke and her son Traverse.

No one knew who she was, or whence or why she came. Some fifteen years
before she had appeared in town, clothed in rusty mourning and
accompanied by a boy of about two years of age. She had rented that
cottage, furnished it poorly and had settled there, supporting herself
and child by needlework.

At the time that Doctor Greyson died and his widow and son were left
perfectly destitute, and it became necessary for Mrs. Greyson to look
out for a humble lodging where she could find the united advantages of
cheapness, cleanliness and pure air, she was providentially led to
inquire at the cottage of the widow Rocke, whom she found only too glad
to increase her meager income by letting half her little house to such
unexceptionable tenants as the widow Greyson and her son.

And thus commenced between the two poor young women and the two boys an
acquaintance that ripened into friendship, and thence into that devoted
love so seldom seen in this world.

Their households became united. One fire, one candle and one table
served the little family, and thus considerable expense was saved as
well as much social comfort gained. And when the lads grew too old to
sleep with their mothers, one bed held the two boys and the other
accommodated the two women. And, despite toil, want, care--the sorrow
for the dead and the neglect of the living--this was a loving, contented
and cheerful little household. How much of their private history these
women might have confided to each other was not known, but it was
certain that they continued fast friends up to the time of the death of
Mrs. Greyson, after which the widow Rocke assumed a double burden, and
became a second mother to the