e appeal.

'We are all in a difficult position,' he said; 'but there is no need to
make things worse than they are. It is not for us to judge our parents,
neither is it our fault that all these years we have believed that we
had but one. Now I know all, I feel you have not been treated fairly.'

'I thought you would have taken your mother's part, my boy,' replied Mat
humbly.

Cyril's words brought him some amount of consolation, only he could not
quite bring himself to believe them.

'I hope that I shall always be on the side where the right lies,' was
Cyril's answer. 'I do not wish to blame my mother. I think it is best
and wisest to be silent. You are a stranger to us, and we have not even
your memory to aid us. My own childish reminiscences are very vague: I
can just remember a big man who used to play with us, and whom we called
daddy; but I have no special recollection of him.'

'I hardly expected you to say as much as that,' and Mat's eyes
brightened; 'but, after all, I doubt if I am better off in that respect
than you. How am I to find my little chaps again when I look at you
both--a fine grown man, and that poor sickly lad beside you? Why,' he
continued in a tender, musing tone, 'the little chaps I remember had
rosy cheeks and curly heads. I can feel their bare legs swarming up me
now. "Give us a ride, dad!" It was always Kester who said that. He was
never still a moment unless he was asleep, and then he used to look so
pretty; but where shall I find him?--there is not a trace of the little
rogue left in him; and when I see my girl Mollie, it will be the same.'

Kester could stand no more; he started up so hastily that his crutch
slipped from under his arm, and he would have lost his balance if his
father had not caught him and held him fast.

'Why did you do that, boy? You have given me quite a fright? There!
there! I will pick up your stick for you, while you stop quietly in your
chair.'

But, to his surprise, Kester held him tightly by the wrist.

'Never mind the crutch, father; I am not afraid of a tumble. Somehow, my
leg gets stiff, but I don't mind it. I only wanted to say that, if you
like, I will come and see you sometimes, when I can get a lift; and I
will bring Mollie with me. I can't help what mother says,' continued the
boy, his face working, 'and I don't mean to let her hinder us from
coming. Cyril is going away, so he will not count; but I'll bring
Mollie: and though she is not your baby