loudly--so loudly that neither
heard the opening of the front door, nor the sound of heavy footsteps
coming toward the kitchen.

Then a big, dark-faced man, with hair as gray as her own, seized her
around the waist, lifted her into his arms, and rained kisses on her
face and lips while she screamed, then, as she recognized him, fainted
away. Still holding her, he lifted his foot, exerted a slight effort of
strength, and pushed the tubful of suds and clothes off its base,
upsetting it squarely over the head of the Reverend Samuel Simpson, who
nearly choked before getting himself clear.

"I've been hearing things about you down at the store," said Quinbey,
"and I'll 'tend to your case directly."

Then he carried the limp little woman into the bedroom, stripped off
her wet garments, and covered her warmly, while he kissed her back to
consciousness.

"Oh, John," she said, when she could speak, "I knew you'd come back,
but, oh, the long waiting! I've been punished, John, punished
bitterly."

"There'll be no more of it, Minnie," he said. "I've come home
rich--that is, rich for this town. Your work is ended. They told me at
the store about your son loafing on you all these years while you took
in washing. But how about the money in the bank? Couldn't you get it?"

"Oh, yes, John," she answered simply. "But Sammy took it to Boston to
deposit, and was robbed of it."

"Um-hum-m-m," grunted Quinbey. "The savings of twenty years at sea!"
Briefly she recounted Sammy's story of the wrong done him; but he made
no comment beyond saying that he would look into it.

"He's got to go to work," he added grimly. "I don't know what he can do
except preach, and perhaps he can't do that. I'll write to Andover and
get his record. But how about the house? It's cold. Out of coal?"

"We've got very little, John. We couldn't afford two fires."

Quinbey left her, and found his stepson in his room, changing his wet
clothing for dry.

"Take this money," he said, handing him a bill, "and go down to the
coal dock. Order a ton up here at once."

"I will, sir," answered Sammy, with dignity, "when I've recovered
somewhat from your extremely brutal treatment of me. I must be dry
before I go out on this cold day."

But he went out, shirtless and coatless, at the end of Quinbey's arm;
and, as it really was cold, he hurried on his errand, and returned.
Before long the base-burner was roaring, and Quinbey was recounting his
adventures to his hap