her sentence
but could not, and the tears kept dropping on to her hands, as she bowed
down her head in the vain endeavour to conceal them.

"She's thinking of her poor mother," said John in a soothing tone.

"Yes; I've heard about it," replied her brother sadly. There was a long
pause, and then Samuel asked, "Did you know as I'd been back to
Langhurst?"

"No," replied his father; "we heard as a stranger had been asking about
me and mine, but nobody knowed who it was."

"We never got no letter from you, Sammul," said his sister; "there was a
man as would have seen as we got it, if any letter had come for us arter
we flitted."

"I never wrote; but I ought to have done; it were not right," replied
Samuel; "and when I see'd it were my duty, it were too late for writing,
for I were coming home myself."

"Weel," said Betty, "we have all on us much to ask, and much to tell;
but just you finish your tea, and I'll put the childer to bed; and then
you and John can take a turn round the garden, if you've a mind, while I
clear the table and tidy up a bit."

And now, by common consent, when Betty had made all things straight, the
whole party adjourned to the garden, and brought their chairs under an
old cherry-tree, from which they could see the distant mansion with its
embowering woods, and the sloping park in front. Samuel sat with his
father on one side and Betty on the other, one hand in the hand of each.
John was on the other side of his wife holding her other hand.

"You know, John," she said with a smile, "I only gave you the one hand
when we were wed, so our Sammul's a right to t'other. And now, tell us
all, Sammul dear, from the very first. You needn't be afraid of
speaking out afore our John; he knows all as we know, and you must take
him for your brother."

"I'll do so as you say, Betty; and when I've told you all, there'll be
many things as I shall have to ax you myself. Well, then, you remember
the night as I went off?"

"I shall ne'er forget it as long as I live," said his sister.

"Well," continued Samuel, "I hadn't made up my mind just what to do, but
I were resolved as I wouldn't bide at home any longer, so I hurried
along the road till I came to the old pit-shaft. I were just a-going to
pass it by, when I bethought me as I'd like to take a bit of holly with
me as a keepsake. So I climbed up the bank, where there were a fine
bush, and took out my knife and tried to cut a bit; but the bough were