with a glad feeling at heart I
dressed quickly and looked out of the window. Yes! I was home at
last. The long bitter years of hatred and remorse were behind, the
future, though cloudy, could never be as dark as the past had been.

I heard a knock at the door, and on opening it found my mother standing
with a look of expectancy on her face. She gazed up into my eyes, as
if in doubt about her reception, and then allowed herself to be folded
in the arms of her rough sailor son. I knew all the time it was not my
love she craved for, but she was glad even for that, so hungry was her
heart.

"Roger, do you know it is past mid-day?" she said, with a sad smile.
"I thought something was the matter with you, but on listening at the
door I heard you breathing regularly, and so let you sleep on. But
come to the breakfast-room, I'm sure you must be hungry."

We went down the broad staircase together arm in arm, while the
servants flitted around excitedly at the advent of Mr. Roger. How
gladly, how proudly they waited on me, while my mother told me that the
inhabitants of the parish had arranged to have a bonfire, and that a
lot of festivities had been arranged in honour of my arrival! I seemed
to be living a new life, to be breathing a new atmosphere, and so kind
was my mother to me that by and by I broke down and sobbed like a child.

Then we went out on the headland together, she holding my arm, while
the servants smiled and whispered one to another that it was "somethin'
like."

By and by, after talking of many things relative to what had happened
in the years of my happiness, she said:

"Roger, you still love Ruth?"

"More than ever, mother."

"I shudder when I think of the dreadful fate from which you saved her."

"You heard of that, then?"

"Heard of it? Why, it was the talk of the county. The more so as you
so suddenly disappeared."

"Did no one know why?"

"No one except Wilfred and I, unless you told Ruth, I fancy you did
tell her, for when Wilfred and I went over to see her she seemed amazed
at the sight of him."

"And Wilfred told her of our struggle?"

"Yes, Roger."

"He deceived her."

"He tried to. I do not know if he succeeded."

I saw this turn in the conversation pained her, so I was silent.

After a few minutes she spoke again.

"Are you going to Morton Hall?"

"I do not know."

"Why?"

"I am afraid she hates me, loathes me. I could not bear to see her
turn away from me i