ille, and the news was on the way to Botfield, that the master of
Botfield works was dead.

CHAPTER XXIII.

THE HOME RESTORED.

Three months later in the year, when the new house at Fern's Hollow was
quite finished, with its dairy and coal-shed, and a stable put up at Mr.
Lockwood's desire, a large party assembled within the walls. Martha had
been diligently occupied all the week in a grand cleaning down; and Tim
and Stephen had been equally busy in clearing away the litter left by
the builders, and in restoring the garden to some order. They had been
obliged to contrive some temporary seats for their visitors, for the old
furniture had not yet been brought up from the cinder-hill cabin; and
the only painful thoughts Martha had were the misgiving of its extreme
scantiness in their house with six rooms. The pasture before the cottage
was now securely enclosed, and the wild ponies neighed over the hedge in
vain at the sight of the clear, cool pool where they had been used to
quench their thirst; and behind the house there was a plantation of tiny
fir-trees bending to and fro in the wind, which they were to resist as
they grew larger. Every place was in perfect order; and the front room,
which was almost grand enough for a parlour, was beautifully decorated
with flowers in honour of the expected guests, who had sent word that
they should visit Fern's Hollow that afternoon.

They could be seen far away from the window of the upper storey, which,
rising above the brow of the hill behind, commanded a wide view of the
mountain plains. They were coming on horseback across the almost
pathless uplands; dear Miss Anne, with Mr. Lockwood riding beside her;
and a little way behind them the lord of the manor and his young wife,
who was no other than Miss Lockwood herself. They greeted Stephen and
Martha with many smiles and words of congratulation; and when they were
seated in the decorated room, with the door and window opened upon the
beautiful landscape, Mr. Lockwood bade them come and sit down with them;
while Tim helped the groom to put up the horses in the stable.

'My boy,' said Mr. Lockwood, 'our business is finished at last. Mr.
Thomas Wyley will not try his right to Fern's Hollow by law; but we have
agreed to give him the L15 paid to your grandfather, and also to pay to
him all the actual cost of the work done here. Miss Anne and I have had
a quarrel on the subject, but she consents that I shall pay that as a
m