became much affected by the tremendous news. Then they talked into the
early dawn before any promising mode of presenting Chris to her mother
occurred to them. At breakfast Will followed a suggestion of Phoebe's,
and sensibly lessened the shock of his announcement.

"A 'mazin' wonnerful dream I had last night," he began abruptly. "I
thought I was roused long arter midnight by a gert knocking, an' I went
down house an' found a woman at the door. 'Who be you?' I sez. 'Why, I
be Chris, brother Will,' she speaks back, 'Chris, come home-along to
mother an' you.' Then I seed it was her sure enough, an' she telled me
all about herself, an' how she'd dwelt wi' gypsy people. Natural as life
it weer, I assure 'e."

This parable moved Mrs. Blanchard more strongly than Will expected. She
dropped her piece of bread and dripping, grew pale, and regarded her son
with frightened eyes. Then she spoke.

"Tell me true, Will; don't 'e play with a mother 'bout a life-an'-death
thing like her cheel. I heard voices in the night, an' thought 't was a
dream--but--oh, bwoy, not Chris, not our awn Chris!--'t would 'most kill
me for pure joy, I reckon."

"Listen to me, mother, an' eat your food. Us won't have no waste here,
as you knaw very well. I haven't tawld 'e the end of the story. Chris,
'pearin' to be back again, I thinks, 'this will give mother
palpitations, though 't is quite a usual thing for a darter to come back
to her mother,' so I takes her away to the linhay for the night an'
locks her in; an' if 't was true, she might be theer now, an' if it weer
n't--"

Damaris rose, and held the table as she did so, for her knees were weak
under her.

"I be strong--strong to meet my awn darter. Gimme the key, quick--the
key, Will--do 'e hear me, child?"

"I'll come along with 'e."

"No, I say. What! Ban't I a young woman still? 'T was awnly essterday
Chris corned in the world. You just bide with Phoebe, an' do what I tell
'e."

Will handed over the key at this order, and Mrs. Blanchard, grasping it
without a word, passed unsteadily across the farmyard. She fumbled at
the lock, and dropped the key once, but picked it up quickly before Will
could reach her, then she unfastened the door and entered.

CHAPTER II

HOPE RENEWED

Jon Grimbal's desires toward Blanchard lay dormant, and the usual
interests of life filled his mind. The attitude he now assumed was one
of sustained patience and observation; and it may best be descri