will say, 'lil' girl,
your task is done. Run back home now! Run back to your hills.' Maybe
I can go back with you!"

A gayety rang in the sweet voice that almost reduced Matilda to tears.
The abandon and inconsequence were so oddly mingled with the strange
determined strength that the elderly woman was confused and irrational.

The wayward, wild creature of the hills, ensnared in the net woven by
Lans's blind passion and irresponsibility, seemed so incapable of
fulfilling any role that demanded the recognition of her as a wife in
this superficial environment that Matilda felt immoral and
sacrilegious. She wanted to say, instead of leaving it to a higher
power, "Your task is done, lil' girl! Run back to your hills!" but
instead she said brokenly:

"You will come to Bretherton?"

"Indeed, yes; dear lady!"

"Perhaps you will go out with me to-morrow if I stay over night in
town?"

"If--oh! if they will let me. But you see, there are a mighty lot of
things to do--I'm learning!"

"Good-bye then, dear child."

And that night, on the paper of a quiet little hotel, Matilda wrote a
brief note to Lost Hollow. She addressed it to Levi.

I'm going to stay on a spell. I never felt better in my life. It was
the thinking that life didn't need me any more, that was running me
down. It's awful foolish for old folks to let go of things. By the
way, I called at Olive Treadwell's to-day and saw Lans's wife. She's
real fascinating and real good looking. Brother, I want you to
reconsider about leaving Lans out of your will. He's coming out real
strong and blood is blood! Tell Sandy this girl, Cynthia, sends kind
regards and is enjoying her stay in Boston better than she expected.

This letter had a marvellous effect upon Levi and Sandy.

"What do you think of that?" Levi exclaimed shaking with laughter. "If
that ain't spunk and real grit."

Sandy was looking out of the study window and did not reply.

"That's the old New England spirit. Never say die and all the rest!"
Levi chuckled.

"Thank God for it!" was all Sandy said in return.

CHAPTER XXVI

The work God had sent Cynthia to do came to hand very shortly after Miss
Markham's return to Bretherton. Cynthia had spent one blessed day at the
quiet old farm, then Mrs. Treadwell and she went down together and stayed
over one night, and once Lans ran down and had an hour's talk with his
Aunt 'Tilda before she slipped back to Lost Hollow and Cynt