me he is needed at home, all this may be
so forgotten that Cis may return safely. The maid hath been our child
too long for us to risk her alone. And for such love being weak and
foolish, surely, sir, it was the voice of One greater than you or I
that bade a man leave his father and mother and cleave unto his wife."

Mr. Heatherthwayte still murmured something about "youth" and "lightly
undertaken," and Master Talbot observed, with a smile, that when he had
seen Humfrey he might judge as to the lightness of purpose.

Richard meanwhile was watching somewhat anxiously for the arrival of
his son, who, he had reckoned, would make so much more speed than was
possible for Cis, that he might have almost overtaken them, if the
fatal business had not been delayed longer than he had seen reason to
anticipate. However, these last words had not long been out of his
mouth when a man's footsteps, eager, yet with a tired sound and with
the clank of spurs, came along the paved way outside, and there was a
knock at the door. Some one else had been watching; for, as the street
door was opened, Cicely sprang forward as Humfrey held out his arms;
then, as she rested against his breast, he said, so that she alone
could hear, "Her last words to me were, 'Give her my love and blessing,
and tell her my joy is come--such joy as I never knew before.'"

Then they knew the deed was done, and Richard said, "God have mercy on
her soul!" Nor did Mr. Heatherthwayte rebuke him. Indeed there was no
time, for Humfrey exclaimed, "She is swooning." He gathered her in his
arms, and carried her where they lighted him, laying her on Oil's
little bed, but she was not entirely unconscious, and rallied her
senses so as to give him a reassuring look, not quite a smile, and yet
wondrously sweet, even in the eyes of others. Then, as the lamp
flashed on his figure, she sprang to her feet, all else forgotten in
the exclamation.

"O Humfrey, thou art hurt! What is it? Sit thee down."

They then saw that his face was, indeed, very pale and jaded, and that
his dress was muddied from head to foot, and in some places there were
marks of blood; but as she almost pushed him down on the chest beside
the bed, he said, in a voice hoarse and sunk, betraying weariness--

"Naught, naught, Cis; only my beast fell with me going down a hill, and
lamed himself, so that I had to lead him the last four or five miles.
Moreover, this cut on my hand must needs break forth b