wn her head over
him so that he was hidden all in her long hair; but the bright shawl
covered it, so that, what with her stooping and the hiding of her
tresses, a body coming in suddenly at the door might 'a' easily mistaken
her for Ruth.

It was thus with th' man who at that moment strode past me and caught up
child and woman into his embrace. "I have come back to thee," he
said--"I have come back to thee. Look up, wife! Ruth, look up!" But when
she did look up, and he saw her face as white as morning, and her hair
as black as night, and her tall figure like to a young elm-tree--ay,
when she looked up, ne'er saw I a man not dead seem so like death. He
drops down his arms from about them, as though smitten from behind by a
sword, and he staggers and leans against th' table, and lets fall his
head upon his breast, staring straight in front o' him. But she stands
looking upon him. And I got me out with all speed; so ne'er knew I more
o' what passed between 'em, saving that he did take away Ruth with him
th' next day, and she as happy as a bird whose mate hath come back to 't
with the springtide. But a knew how that my lass had taken his wife into
her bed, and nursed her through her sickness night and day, after the
hard words he had spoken unto her and the ill names he had called her.
And that was all I cared to know. He had set th' iron in my lass's
heart, and now 'twas in his own; and for th' rust, it did but hurt him
more. Ay, ay, comrade, thou knowest what I do mean.

Well, the winter passed, and spring came on again, and 'twas in the May
o' that year that I did break my hammer-arm. God above us only knows
what would 'a' befallen us had 't not been for my Keren. Wilt believe
't? (but then I think thou'lt believe a'most anything o' that lass o'
mine now--eh, comrade?)--th' lass did set to work, and in two weeks'
time a was as good a farrier as was e'er her daddy afore her. Bodykins,
man! thou shouldst 'a' seen her at it: clad from throat to feet she was
in a leathern apron, looking as like mine own as though th' mare's skin
whereof mine was fashioned had, as 'twere, foaled a smaller one for th'
lass--ha! ha!--and her sleeves rolled up from her brown arms, and th'
cords a-standing out on them like th' veins in a horse's shoulder. And
so would she stand, and work th' bellows at th' forge, until, what with
th' red light from the fire on her face, and on her hair, and on her
bare arms, I was minded o' th' angel that walke