ime as it shall please you to occupy it.
Never think on turning forth, I pray you, until you desire to go, at the
least while I live."

"I thank you right truly, Brother Tom, and will take my advantage of
your kindliness at least for this present. But, my young mistresses, I
pray you remember that you must needs be of good conditions an' you
dwell in the same house with a Justice of Peace, else shall I be forced
to commit you unto gaol."

"Oh, we'll keep on the windy side of you and the law, Uncle Anthony,"
said Gertrude, laughing. "I suppose teasing the life out of one's uncle
is not a criminal offence?"

"I shall do my best to make it so, my lady," was the reply, in tones of
mock severity.

The rest of the day was devoted to unpacking and settling down, and much
of the next morning was spent in a similar manner. But when the
afternoon came Pandora rode down, escorted by old Osmund, to Roger
Hall's cottage. She was too familiar there now for the ceremony of
waiting to ring; and she went forward and opened the door of the little
parlour.

Christabel was standing at the table arranging some floss
silk--"slea-silk" she would have called it--in graduated shades for
working. It was the first time Pandora had ever seen her stand. Down
went the delicate pale green skein in Christie's hand, and where it
might go was evidently of no moment.

"Mistress Pandora! O dear Mistress Pandora! You've come back! I
hadn't heard a word about it. And look you, I can stand! and I can
walk!" cried Christie, in tones of happy excitement.

"My dear little Christabel!" said Pandora, clasping the child in her
arms. "I am surely glad for thy betterment--very, very glad. Ay, sweet
heart, we have come home, all of us, thank God!"

"And you'll never go away again, will you, Mistress Pandora?"

"`Never' is a big word, Christie. But I hope we shall not go again for
a great while."

"Oh, and did anybody tell you, Mistress--about--poor Aunt Alice?" said
Christie, with a sudden and total change of tone.

"No, Christie," answered Pandora significantly. "But somebody told me
touching thy rich Aunt Alice, that she was richer now and higher than
even the Queen Elizabeth, and that she should never again lose her
riches, nor come down from her throne any more."

"We didn't know, Mistress--Father and me, we never knew when it should
be--we only heard when all was over!"

"Thou mightest well bless God for that, my dear heart. That