ld
be seen a level path leading to an old colonial house with portico,
white pillars supporting a balcony, and a sloping roof with huge
chimneys and dormer windows.

Martha quickened her steps, and halting at the gate-posts, paused for a
moment with her eyes up the road. It was yet an hour of the time of her
bairn's arrival by the country stage, but her impatience was such that
she could not enter the path without this backward glance. Meg, who had
followed behind his mistress at a snail's pace, also came to a halt
and, as was his custom, picked out a soft spot in the road and sat down
on his haunches.

Suddenly the dog sprang up with a quick yelp and darted inside the
gate. The next instant a young girl in white, with a wide hat shading
her joyous face, jumped from behind one of the big hemlocks and with a
cry pinioned Martha's arms to her side.

"Oh, you dear old thing, you! where have you been? Didn't you know I
was coming by the early stage?" she exclaimed in a half-querulous tone.

The old nurse disengaged one of her arms from the tight clasp of the
girl, reached up her hand until she found the soft cheek, patted it
gently for an instant as a blind person might have done, and then
reassured, hid her face on Lucy's shoulder and burst into tears. The
joy of the surprise had almost stopped her breath.

"No, baby, no," she murmured. "No, darlin', I didn't. I was on the
beach with Meg. No, no--Oh, let me cry, darlin'. To think I've got you
at last. I wouldn't have gone away, darlin', but they told me you
wouldn't be here till dinner-time. Oh, darlin', is it you? And it's all
true, isn't it? and ye've come back to me for good? Hug me close. Oh,
my baby bairn, my little one! Oh, you precious!" and she nestled the
girl's head on her bosom, smoothing her cheek as she crooned on, the
tears running down her cheeks.

Before the girl could reply there came a voice calling from the house:
"Isn't she fine, Martha?" A woman above the middle height, young and of
slender figure, dressed in a simple gray gown and without her hat, was
stepping from the front porch to meet them.

"Too fine, Miss Jane, for her old Martha," the nurse called back. "I've
got to love her all over again. Oh, but I'm that happy I could burst
meself with joy! Give me hold of your hand, darlin'--I'm afraid I'll
lose ye ag'in if ye get out of reach of me."

The two strolled slowly up the path to meet Jane, Martha patting the
girl's arm and laying her c