alking very fast, trying to tell all the
events of two years in five minutes, and stopping again and again to ask
a question or to recognise some familiar landmark.

Primroses were blooming everywhere, and the country looked gay with
them.

"The children were remarking last night," said her father, "that the
spring has decorated all Cressleigh in honour of your return."

"Here we are at last!" cried Ruth, as the train stopped at the
well-known little station with its little garden-strip of bright flowers
beside the platform. And there was Will, dear old Will, grown such a
handsome fellow, waiting in the station-yard with the brown mare in the
old light cart.

After a hasty greeting came the drive home along the lanes, where the
trees were bursting into leaf, and the hedgerows were gay with starry
blossoms, and the air was delicious after the smoke of a large town.

The children were waiting at the gate, and a little group stood in the
porch to receive her. It was indeed a home-coming, and the poor girl was
almost bewildered by the kissing, the waving, the shouting, the
questions, the entreaties to "look at this," and "come and see that."
Mrs. Arnold was obliged to dismiss the whole party after Ruth had duly
admired the floral decorations in the hall, and had commented upon the
many inches added to the various members of the family during her
absence, and secured her a few minutes' quiet by carrying her off to her
own room.

How tiny and bare it looked after her comfortable, pretty room at
Busyborough, and yet so snug and sweet! How delightfully fresh was the
breeze that blew about the white dimity curtains, and what a wide range
of country she could see instead of a vista of windows, roofs, and
chimney-pots! Yes, indeed, though simple and plain, it was "Home, sweet
home," and there was no other place in the world like it.

Tea followed, a merry, noisy meal, for every one had so much to say, and
although Ruth talked very fast she was not able to reply to half the
questions that were put to her. But the exertion and excitement of the
day had made her feel weary, and she was thankful when the evening drew
to a close, and her father took down the big Bible and read a psalm; and
in the prayer that followed he gave thanks for her safe return, and
prayed that she might be a comfort and blessing to all the household.
When Ruth lay in her little bed that night her last conscious thought
was of the day's changes and the m