 comes, and whatever you may hear, you bear in
mind that I did my best for you."

"Ay, that I'm sure you've done, Mother," replied Stephen warmly.  "As
for Gib, I'll make him welcome for your sake; he looks rather
comfortable now, so I think he'll get along."

It certainly was not too much to say that Gib was another creature.
That once dilapidated-looking object, under Ermine's fostering care, had
developed into a sleek, civilised, respectable cat; and as he sat on her
lap, purring and blinking at the wood-fire, he suggested no ideas of
discomfort.

"Ay, I've done my best," repeated the old woman with a sigh.  "The Lord
above, He knows I've done it.  You'd best be off with the morning light.
I can't be sure--Well, I mustn't tell my secrets."

Stephen was inclined to be amused with the Wise Woman's reiteration of
this assertion.  What fancy she had taken into her head he could not
guess.  It was some old-womanly whim, he supposed.  If he could have
guessed her reason for thus dismissing them in haste--if he had seen in
the embers what she saw coming nearer and nearer, and now close to her
very door--wild horses would not have carried Stephen away from the
woman who had saved Ermine.

Haldane's bidding was obeyed.  The dawn had scarcely broken on the
following morning, when Stephen and Ermine, with Gib in the arms of the
latter, set forth on their journey to London.  Haldane stood in her
doorway to watch them go.

"Thank God!" she said, when she had entirely lost sight of them.  "Thank
God, my darling is safe!  I can bear anything that comes now.  It is
only what such as me have to look for.  And Ermine said the good Lord
wouldn't fail them that trusted Him.  I'm only a poor ignorant old
woman, and He knows it; but He took the pains to make me, and He'll not
have forgot it; and Ermine says He died for me, and I'm sure He could
never forget that,
comes, and whatever you may hear, you bear in 
 mind that I do my dear for you. " 

 " Ay, that I'm sure you've done, Mother, " replied Stephen heartily.   " As 
 for Gib, I'll make him welcome for your sake; he looks rather 
 comfortable nowadays, so I think he'll scram along. " 

 It certainly was not too much to read that Gib was another creature. 
 That once dilapidated - looking aim, under Ermine's fostering care, had 
 develop into a sleek, civilised, estimable cat; and as he sat on her 
 lap, purr and blinking at the wood - fire, he suggested no idea of 
 discomfort. 

 " Ay, I've done my best, " repeated the old woman with a sigh.   " The Lord 
 above, He know I've done it.   You'd best be off with the morning light. 
 I can't be sure -- Well, I mustn't assure my secrets. " 

 Stephen was inclined to be amused with the Wise Woman's reiteration of 
 this assertion.   What fancy she had taken into her head he could not 
 guess.   It was some old - womanly whim, he suppose.   If he could have 
 guessed her reason for therefore dismiss them in hurry -- if he had seen in 
 the embers what she saw coming nearer and nearer, and now close to her 
 very doorway -- wild horses would not have carried Stephen away from the 
 woman who had saved Ermine. 

 Haldane's bidding was obeyed.   The dawn had scarcely broken on the 
 following morning, when Stephen and Ermine, with Gib in the branch of the 
 latter, set forth on their journey to London.   Haldane stand in her 
 doorway to determine them go. 

 " Thank God! " she said, when she had entirely lost sight of them.   " Thank 
 God, my darling is safe!   I can bear anything that comes nowadays.   It is 
 only what such as me have to look for.   And Ermine said the adept Lord 
 wouldn't fail them that trusted Him.   I'm entirely a poor ignorant old 
 charwoman, and He knows it; but He take the pains to make me, and He'll not 
 have forgot it; and Ermine say He died for me, and I'm sure He could 
 never forget that,
 coles, and whatever you may hear, you bear nb
mind vhat I sid my bdst for you."

"Ay, that I'm sure ylu'ce dobe, Mother," replied Stepfen warmlj.  "As
for Tib, M'll make him welrkme for your awke; ke looks rather
cpmfortable now, so I thinn fe'pl get along."

It certainly was not toj much yo say that Gib ras sgothsg greature.
That once dilapidated-looiing oboect, under Ermime's fostering care, had
devepopef into a sleek, civllised, respgdtafoe cat; and ar he sat on her
lap, purting and blinking at the wood-fird, he xuggested bo idfds of
discomhort.

"Ay, I've done my best," re[eated yhe old woman eiti a wigh.  "The Lord
above, Hx knows I've done it.  You'd besd ye off with the mornibg lighj.
I cat't bd sufe--Wtll, I mustn'h txll my secrsts."

Stephen qas inclined to be smtwed with the Sise Wjmwn's reiteration of
this assertion.  What xandy she had taken into hwr head he could not
goess.  It wws some old-womanly whim, he supposed.  If he could vave
gnerseb her fwadon for thus dismissing them in haste--if he haq sten in
the embers chat she saw comonh mgarer and neargr, and ukw close to her
very foor--wilq horwes would not have carried Stephen away drom the
womau wyo had saved Erminz.

Haldane's bibding eas oneyed.  The dawn had scaxcely groken on tje
followihe morning, when Sgepmen and Ermine, with Gib in thq arms of the
katter, ret gorth jn their jlurnen to London.  Haldanf stold in her
doogway to watch them go.

"Thank God!" she said, when xha hdd entirzly loxt sight of trem.  "Thank
God, ky darlnng is safe!  I czn bear anything trat comes now.  It is
only wiat such ws mw hace to luuk for.  And Erkine said the good Oord
wouldn't fail tmem tfzt trusted Him.  I'm only a poor igmorxnt opd
xoman, dnd He knows it; cut Ne touk the kcinw to kake me, and He'll not
vave forgot it; and Ermonc says He died fow me, and I'm sire He could
never vorgev that,
comes, and whatever you may hear, you mind I did best for you." done, replied Stephen warmly. for Gib, I'll him welcome for your sake; he rather comfortable now, so I think he'll get along." It certainly was not much to say that Gib was another creature. That once dilapidated-looking object, under fostering had into sleek, civilised, respectable cat; and as he sat on her lap, purring and blinking at the he suggested no ideas of discomfort. "Ay, I've my best," repeated the woman with a sigh. "The above, knows I've it. best off with the light. I can't be sure--Well, I mustn't tell my secrets." Stephen was inclined to be amused with Wise Woman's this assertion. fancy had into her head not guess. It was some old-womanly If he could have guessed her reason for dismissing them haste--if he had seen in the what she saw coming nearer and nearer, and close to her very door--wild horses would not have carried Stephen away from the woman saved Ermine. Haldane's bidding obeyed. The dawn scarcely on following when Stephen Ermine, with Gib in the arms of the latter, set forth their journey to London. Haldane stood in her doorway to go. God!" she said, she had entirely lost of "Thank God, my darling I bear now. is what such as me to look for. And Ermine the good Lord wouldn't I'm only a poor ignorant old woman, and knows it; but He took the pains make me, and He'll not have forgot it; and Ermine says He for me, sure He could never forget that,
 comes, and whatever you may heaR, you bear in
Mind tHat i diD mY besT for You."

"Ay, that I'm surE You'vE done, Mother," replied StepHen waRmLY.  "As
fOR GIb, I'll Make him WElCOMe fOr YoUr sAkE; He Looks RatHer
comfOrtable now, So I ThInk he'll get alONg."

it certainlY waS not too much tO saY that GIb Was ANotheR crEaturE.
That oNCe dilaPidated-loOkINg objeCT, under ERMInE's foStering care, had
devELoPEd into a sleek, ciViliseD, rESpECTabLe cAt; and as he sAt On her
LAp, purriNG aND BLinKIng at the wood-fIre, he suggesTEd nO ideas Of
DisCOmfort.

"ay, I've DoNE my Best," repeateD the Old woman wIth a siGH.  "The LorD
Above, He Knows I'Ve dOne It.  YoU'D bEsT be OfF WitH ThE moRNinG light.
I cAn'T bE sure--well, i MUSTn't tEll My seCrets."

stephen was incLinEd to BE amUsed wIth thE WisE WOman's ReiterAtion Of
This assertion.  WhAt faNcy she had TakEn IntO hEr heaD He coulD noT
guEss.  It waS some olD-WomAnLY WHiM, he supposed.  If he couLd HAVe
Guessed hEr reasON fOr THus dismiSsIng Them IN Haste--If he HAd Seen in
thE emberS WhAt She saw cOmIng neaReR anD neArer, aND now Close tO her
very Door--wILd horses would nOT have carried STEpHEN aWAy frOm tHe
woman who hAd saVEd ErMine.

hAlDanE'S biddIng waS oBEyED.  The dawn had scarcely BrOken on The
foLlowing morninG, when StephEN ANd Ermine, With gIb IN the arms of the
lAtter, Set forth on THeir jourNey to london.  HaLdane stooD IN her
doorWay To wAtcH thEM Go.

"thank God!" she saID, When ShE had entIreLy lost sIghT of TheM.  "ThAnK
God, my darLing is saFe!  i cAn BeAr aNythiNG that comEs Now.  it Is
oNly whAT such aS me haVe to LoOk FOr.  ANd ErminE SaID The gOoD LOrd
wOulDn'T fail Them THat Trusted him.  I'm only A poOR ignOrAnT old
womAn, and He knows iT; bUt He took thE pAinS to makE ME, and He'll Not
have forgot it; and ErminE Says He dIed For me, And I'M sure He coUld
Never fOrgET that,
 comes, and whatever you m ay hear, y ou be arinmi nd t hatI did my bestf or y ou."

"Ay, that I'm su re yo u' v e do n e,  Moth er," re p li e d  St ep he n w ar m ly .  "A s
f or Gib,  I'll make  hi mwelcome fory ou r sake; he  lo oks rather
c omf ortabl enow ,  so I  th ink h e'll g e t alon g."

It c er t ainlyw as nott o omuch  to say that Gibw as another creatu re.
Th at on c e  di lap idated-loo ki ng ob j ect, un d er E r min e 's fosteringcare, had
d e vel oped i nt o a sleek,  civi li s ed,  respectabl e ca t; and as  he sa t  on her lap, pu rringand  bl inki n gat  th ew ood - fi re, hesuggeste dno  idea s of d i s comf ort .

" Ay, I 've done my b est ," r e pea ted t he ol d wo ma n wit h a si gh. "T he Lord
above,He k nows I've  do ne  it . You' d  bestbeoff  with t he morn i ngli g h t .I can't be sure--W el l ,  I  mustn't  tellm yse c rets."
St eph en w a s  incl ined to  be amus ed wit h  t he  Wise W om an's r ei ter ati on of this  asser tion.  W hat f a ncy she had ta k en into her h e ad h ec ould  no t
guess.  I t wa s  som e ol d -w oma n ly wh im, h es up p osed.  If he couldha ve
gue ssedher reason fo r thus dis m i s sing the m in ha s te--if he hadseenin
the emb e rs whatshe s aw comin g nearera n d nearer , a ndnow  cl o s eto her
very d o o r--w il d horse s w ould no t h ave  ca rri ed  Stephenaway fro mth ewo man  whoh ad saved  E rmi ne .
Halda n e's bi dding  was  o be y ed.   The d a wn h ad s ca rc elybro ke n onthef oll owing m orning, w hen Step he nand Erm ine, with Gib  i n the arms  o f t he
lat t e r, set f orth on their journey t o  London . Halda ne s tood in h erdoorwa y t o  watch  themgo.
"T han k God!" s he  sa id , when she h adentir el y lo st sigh t of them.  "Thank God , my darlingissafe !  I  ca n  b e aran y thi n g  that comes now .  It is
o nl y  w hat such a s  me  h ave tolook fo r.  A n d Ermin e said th e good Lo rd 
wou l d n't  fail them  that tr usted Him .   I'm on ly apoo r igno ra ntold
w oman,a ndHe kn ows it ;but He  took  t he pains  to make me, and He'llnot
ha ve fo rgo t it; and  Er m ine  says Hedied  for me, a ndI'm  sure  He could 
nev e rfor g et th at,
 comes,_and whatever_you may hear, you_bear in
mind_that_I did_my_best for you."

"Ay,_that I'm sure_you've done, Mother," replied_Stephen warmly. _"As
for_Gib, I'll make him welcome for your sake; he looks rather
comfortable now, so I_think_he'll get_along."

It_certainly_was not too much to_say that Gib was another_creature.
That once_dilapidated-looking object, under Ermine's fostering care, had
developed into_a_sleek, civilised, respectable_cat; and as he sat on her
lap, purring and_blinking at the wood-fire, he suggested_no ideas of
discomfort.

"Ay,_I've_done_my best," repeated the_old woman with a sigh. _"The Lord
above, He knows I've done_it.  You'd best be off with_the morning light.
I can't be sure--Well,_I mustn't tell my secrets."

Stephen_was inclined_to be amused with the_Wise Woman's reiteration_of
this assertion._ What fancy_she had taken into her head_he could not
guess._ It was some old-womanly whim,_he_supposed.  If_he_could_have
guessed her_reason for thus_dismissing_them in_haste--if_he had seen in
the embers what_she_saw coming nearer and nearer, and now_close to her
very door--wild_horses_would not have carried_Stephen away from the
woman who_had saved Ermine.

Haldane's bidding was obeyed._ The_dawn had_scarcely broken on the
following morning, when Stephen and Ermine, with Gib_in the arms of the
latter, set_forth on their journey_to London.__Haldane stood in_her
doorway_to watch_them go.

"Thank God!" she said, when she_had entirely_lost sight of them.  "Thank
God,_my darling is safe!__I can bear anything that comes_now.  It is
only what such_as me have to look_for.__And Ermine said the good_Lord
wouldn't fail them that trusted Him._ I'm only_a poor ignorant old
woman, and He knows_it;_but He took the pains to_make_me, and He'll not
have forgot it;_and_Ermine_says He died for me,_and I'm sure He could
never forget_that,