yer found it yerself, with yer out in the dark."

Calmly he awaited the reply.

"If I have come for anything but Lizzi and the baby there in the cradle,
I hope she will never forgive me for being away from her so long."

Gill spoke frankly.

When Peter slammed the door he was outside, peering into the darkness
and hoping to discover the sons for whom his heart longed.

The jar caused by the door being shut so positively awoke the baby, and
it began to cry.

"Come see the baby, John," said Lizzi. "There isn't a finer boy in the
regi'n."

Then running to the cradle, she patted and soothed the child, exclaiming
in the glad language and fond tones of happy mothers: "Oh! oh! it was
too bad for its granddaddy to scare it awake that way."

She did not lift the infant from the cradle, for she wanted to keep Gill
in ignorance as long as possible of the fire-mark that disfigured its
cheek.

He admired his son very much, yet in lame sentences that seemed forced.
A twinge of disappointment shot through Lizzi's heart, and a shadow of
vexation passed over her face. Seeing the change in her countenance, he
said:

"You know, Lizzi, that a man isn't much at praising a baby, no matter if
he thinks it the prettiest child ever born."

This in a measure satisfied her, and, smiling brightly, she said:

"I think he looks like you, John."

He laughed, and sat down in the chair she had placed for him beside the
one she had occupied. She, too, sat down, taking his hand in hers.

They were silent, she trying to frame a question about his absence, and
he seeking for a proper introduction to the story he meant to tell. An
exclamation from Peter McAnay interrupted her just as she had formulated
her inquiry and was going to utter it.

"It's Levi," she cried, as his voice was heard replying to his father.

Hastening to the door, she opened it, and paused on the threshold. Her
father was saying:

"Boys, I knowed yer was here when I waked up an' seen Gill. Yer done
well, an' yer hev yer father's blessin'."

Gathered around him were Levi, Matthi, and Cassi, and just beyond them,
in the semi-darkness, she could see another person, a tall man with
white hair and beard.

Glancing quickly over her shoulder, she saw that Gill had risen and was
standing near the table on which the lighted candles stood. Had not
Cassi, who was nearest to her, thrown his arms around her, she would
have shut the door and run to Gill to ask him a question.