fed her
child with a grateful heart.

When she went down stairs she found that, early as it was, the doctor
had gone to her father's house; and she understood that this visit was
made in order to see him where conversation would not be interrupted
by the entrance of buyers and sellers.

Dr. Balloch found Peter sitting at breakfast with Suneva, in his
usual cheerful, self-complacent mood. In fact, he knew nothing of
Margaret's flight from his house. She rarely left her boy to join
the tea-table; she never appeared at the early breakfast. Her
absence was satisfactory to both parties, and had long ceased to
call forth either protest or remark. So neither of them were aware
of the step she had taken, and the minister's early visit did not
connect itself with her, until he said gravely to Peter, "Dost thou
know where thy daughter is?"

"She hath not left her room yet," answered Suneva; "she sleeps late
for the child's sake."

"She hath left thy house, Peter. Last night I gave her and the child
shelter from the storm."

Peter rose in a great passion: "Then she can stay away from my house.
Here she comes back no more."

"I think that, too. It is better she should not come back. But now
thou must see that her own home is got ready for her, and that
quickly."

"What home?"

"The house thou gave her at her marriage."

"I gave her no house. She had the use of it. The title deeds never
left my hands."

"Then more shame to thee. Did thou not boast to every one, that thou
had given the house and the plenishing? No title deeds, no lawyer's
paper, can make the house more Margaret Vedder's than thy own words
have done. Thou wilt not dare to break thy promise, thou, who ate the
Bread of Remembrance only last Sabbath Day. Begin this very hour to
put the house in order, and then put the written right to it in her
hands. Any hour thou may be called to give an account; leave the
matter beyond disputing."

"It will take a week to glaze and clean it."

"It is glazed and cleaned. Michael Snorro brought the sashes one by
one to the store, and glazed them, when he had done his work at night.
He hath also mended the plaster, and kept a fire in the house to dry
it; and he hath cleaned the yard and re-hung the gate. Begin thou at
once to move back again the furniture. It never ought to have been
removed, and I told thee that at the time. Thou knowest also what
promises thou made me, and I will see that thou keep them every one,
Pe