clutch that sent
a thrill all through him. As he looked at this little helpless,
dependent creature, he realized with a kind of thankfulness that he
would never have the heart to carry out the dreadful project he had
sometimes entertained in hours of despondency.

'We've always got through somehow or other,' he repeated, 'and we'll do
so still.'

Presently they heard Frankie's footsteps ascending the stairs and a
moment afterwards the boy entered the room.

'We have to look out of the window and wave to Mr Barrington when his
train goes over the bridge,' he cried breathlessly. 'And he's sent
this letter. Open the window, quick, Dad, or it may be too late.'

'There's plenty of time yet,' replied Owen, smiling at the boy's
impetuosity. 'Nearly twenty minutes. We don't want the window open
all that time. It's only a quarter to eight by our clock now, and
that's five minutes fast.'

However, so as to make quite certain that the train should not run past
unnoticed, Frankie pulled up the blind and, rubbing the steam off the
glass, took up his station at the window to watch for its coming, while
Owen opened the letter:

'Dear Owen,

'Enclosed you will find two bank-notes, one for ten pounds and the
other for five. The first I beg you will accept from me for yourself
in the same spirit that I offer it, and as I would accept it from you
if our positions were reversed. If I were in need, I know that you
would willingly share with me whatever you had and I could not hurt you
by refusing. The other note I want you to change tomorrow morning.
Give three pounds of it to Mrs Linden and the remainder to Bert White's
mother.

'Wishing you all a happy Xmas and hoping to find you well and eager for
the fray when I come back in the spring,

'Yours for the cause,

'George Barrington.'

Owen read it over two or three times before he could properly
understand it and then, without a word of comment--for he could not
have spoken at that moment to save his life--he passed it to Nora, who
felt, as she read it in her turn, as if a great burden had been lifted
from her heart. All the undefined terror of the future faded away as
she thought of all this small piece of paper made possible.

Meanwhile, Frankie, at the window, was straining his eyes in the
direction of the station.

'Don't you think we'd better have the window open now, Dad?' he said