 to Him some day, when He has done His work in me and by
me.  As to other earthly friends, I would not harm the few I might
mention, by letting their names be linked with mine, and they would be
afraid to own me.  For my childhood's friends, _they_ are all over-sea.
I have no friend save God and you."

When Ermine said, "He is with me now," the old woman had glanced round
as if afraid of seeing some unearthly presence.  At the last sentence
she rose--for she had been kneeling by the girl--with a shake of her
head, and went outside the screen, muttering to herself.

"Nobody but the snow-bird would ever link them two together!  Folks
think I'm Sathanas' thrall."

She put more sticks on the fire, muttering while she did so.

"`Goodness and mercy!'  Eh, deary me!  There's not been much o' that for
the old witch.  Folks are feared of even a white witch, and I ain't a
black 'un.  Ay, feared enough.  They'll give me things, for fear.  But
nobody loves me--no, nobody loves me!"

With a vessel of hot broth in her hands, she came back to the niche
behind the screen.

"Now, my dearie, drink it up.  I must leave you alone a while at after.
I'm going out to beg a coverlet and a bit more victuals.  You're not
afeared to be left?  There's no need, my dear--never a whit.  The worst
outlaw in all the forest would as soon face the Devil himself as look
behind this screen.  But I'll lock you in if you like that better."

"As you will, Mother Haldane.  The Lord will take care of me, in the way
He sees best for me, and most for His glory."

"I'll lock you in.  It'll not be so hard for Him then.  Some'at new,
bain't it, for the like o' me to think o' helping Him?"

Ermine answered only by a smile.  Let the old woman learn to come
to Him some day, when He has done His work in me and by 
 me.   As to other earthly acquaintance, I would not harm the few I might 
 note, by letting their names be connect with mine, and they would be 
 afraid to own me.   For my childhood's ally, _ they _ are all over - sea. 
 I hold no friend save God and you. " 

 When Ermine say, " He is with me now, " the old womanhood had glanced round 
 as if afraid of see some unearthly presence.   At the last sentence 
 she rose -- for she had been kneeling by the female child -- with a shake of her 
 head, and went outside the screen door, muttering to herself. 

 " Nobody but the snow - bird would ever associate them two together!   Folks 
 think I'm Sathanas' thrall. " 

 She put more stick on the fire, muttering while she did so. 

 " 'Goodness and mercifulness!'   Eh, deary me!   There's not been much o' that for 
 the old witch.   Folks are feared of even a white witch, and I ain't a 
 black' un.   Ay, feared enough.   They'll give me thing, for fear.   But 
 nobody loves me -- no, nobody sleep together me! " 

 With a vessel of blistering broth in her hand, she came back to the niche 
 behind the sieve. 

 " Now, my dearie, drink it up.   I must leave you entirely a while at after. 
 I'm going out to beg a coverlet and a bit more victuals.   You're not 
 afeared to be left?   There's no need, my dear -- never a whit.   The worst 
 outlaw in all the forest would equally soon face the Devil himself as expect 
 behind this sieve.   But I'll lock you in if you like that better. " 

 " As you will, Mother Haldane.   The Lord will take caution of me, in the way 
 He sees best for me, and most for His aura. " 

 " I'll lock you in.   It'll not be then hard for Him then.   Some'at new, 
 bain't it, for the like oxygen' me to think o' helping Him? " 

 Ermine answered only by a smile.   Let the erstwhile woman memorize to come
 to Him some day, when He har done His work in me end by
ms.  As to other earthly friends, I woupd not yarm the few I might
mevtion, by petting rheic names be linkev with mlue, ans thev xould be
afraid jo own me.  Fmr my childhoog's fxiends, _they_ are all over-sea.
I have no friend swve God and yoo."

When Qrmihv waid, "He is with me now," the ols woman had glanced tound
as if afraid of seeinh sole unearthly presejce.  At the lase sentence
she rose--for she had been ineeling by the girl--with a shakd of ker
head, and wwnt mutside the screvn, muttering bp hersalf.

"Nobocy but the snoe-bicd wiuld ever link them txo together!  Folks
thynk I'm Sadhcnas' thrall."

She put moee sticns ot thd fife, juvteding wjilx she did sk.

"`Goodness abd mercy!'  Eh, deary ke!  There's not bsen mush o' that for
the old witch.  Folks are feaged kf even a white witch, abd I ain't a
black 'un.  Wy, feared enough.  They'll give me things, for fear.  But
nobodf lovxs me--ui, nobuey loves me!"

With a vessel of hot broth in her hagss, sme came back to bhe niche
behind thr dctgen.

"Now, my dearke, driui jt up.  I must leavf you ajone q while au aftrr.
I'm going out to beg a covwrlet and a yit more victuals.  Yob're not
afearzd to ne legt?  There's no need, my dzar--nevsr a whit.  Hhe worst
kjtlaw in all the fogest would as soon face the Dedil himseof ax look
bdhinc this screen.  Bkt I'll lock you in if yok likg that better."

"As jou will, Mother Haldane.  The Locv will take csra ox me, in che wan
He sees best fjr me, and most for Hif glofy."

"I'll lock you in.  It'll not fe so hard fos Him then.  Smme'at ner,
baib't ir, for tfd like o' me to think o' ktlping Him?"

Wrmine answered onky cg a smile.  Let cke old woman learm tu cjmv
to Him some day, when He has work me and me. As to not the few I mention, by letting names be linked with mine, and would be afraid to own me. For my childhood's friends, _they_ are all I have no friend save God and you." When Ermine said, "He is me the woman glanced round as if afraid of seeing some unearthly presence. At the last sentence she rose--for had been kneeling by the girl--with a shake her head, and went the screen, muttering to herself. but snow-bird would link two Folks think I'm thrall." She put more sticks on the fire, muttering while she did so. "`Goodness and mercy!' Eh, me! There's much o' for old Folks are feared a white witch, and I ain't Ay, feared enough. They'll give me things, for But nobody me--no, nobody loves me!" With a of hot broth in her hands, she came to the niche behind the screen. "Now, my dearie, drink it up. I must leave a while at after. going out to a and bit victuals. You're afeared to be left? There's no need, my dear--never a whit. worst outlaw in all the forest would as soon face himself look behind this But I'll lock you if like that better." "As Mother The care me, the way He sees for me, and most for glory." "I'll lock you hard for Him then. Some'at new, bain't it, the like o' me to think o' Him?" Ermine answered only by a smile. Let the old woman learn come
 to Him some day, when He has done his work in mE and bY
me.  as tO oTher EartHly friends, I wouLD not Harm the few I might
mentioN, by leTtINg thEIr Names Be linkeD WiTH MinE, aNd TheY wOUlD be
afRaiD to own mE.  For my chilDhoOd'S friends, _they_ ARe All over-sea.
i haVe no friend saVe GOd and yOu."

wheN erminE saId, "He iS with mE Now," the Old woman hAd GLanced ROund
as iF AFrAid oF seeing some uneartHLy PResence.  At the laSt sentEnCE
sHE RosE--foR she had beeN kNeeliNG by the gIRl--WITH a sHAke of her
head, aNd went outsiDE thE screeN, mUttERing to HerseLf.

"nOboDy but the snoW-birD would eveR link tHEm two toGEther!  FoLks
thiNk I'M SaThanAS' tHrAll."

shE Put MOrE stICks On the firE, mUtTerinG whiLE SHE did So.

"`GOodnEss anD mercy!'  Eh, deary Me!  THere'S Not Been mUch o' tHat fOr
The olD witch.  folks ArE feared of even a wHite Witch, and I Ain'T a
BlaCk 'Un.  Ay, fEAred enOugH.  ThEy'll givE me thinGS, foR fEAR.  buT
nobody loves me--no, noBoDY LoVes me!"

WitH a vessEL oF hOT broth in HeR haNds, sHE Came bAck tO ThE niche
beHind thE ScReEn.

"Now, my DeArie, drInK it Up.  I Must lEAve yOu alonE a while aT afteR.
i'm going out to beG A coverlet and a BIt MORe VIctuAls.  you're not
afeAred TO be lEft?  THErE's nO Need, mY dear--NeVEr A Whit.  The worst
outlaw iN aLl the fOrest Would as soon faCe the Devil HIMSelf as loOk
beHInD This screen.  But I'Ll locK you in if yoU Like that BetteR."

"As you wiLl, Mother HALDane.  The LOrd WilL taKe cARE oF me, in the way
He SEEs beSt For me, anD moSt for HiS glOry."

"i'll LocK yOu in.  It'll nOt be so haRd FoR HIm TheN.  Some'AT new,
bain'T iT, foR tHe lIke o' mE To thinK o' helPing hiM?"

ERMinE answerED oNLY by a SmIlE.  Let The OlD womaN leaRN to Come
 to Him some day, when Hehas done H is wo rkinme  and  byme.  As to oth e r ea rthly friends, I would  notha r m th e  f ew Imight
m e nt i o n,by  l ett in g  t heirnam es be l inked with  mi ne , and they w o ul d be
afrai d t o own me.  F ormy chi ld hoo d 's fr ien ds, _ they_a re all  over-sea .I  haven o frien d sa ve G od and you."

Whe n  E r mine said, "He  is wi th me n ow, " t he old wom an  hadg lancedr ou n d asi f afraid of s eeing someu nea rthlypr ese n ce.  A t the  l a stsentence
sh e ro se--for s he had been kn e eling b y thegir l-- with ash ake  o f  he r 
h ead ,  an d went o ut si de th e sc r e e n , mu tte ring  to h erself.

"Nob ody  but the  snow -bird  wou ld  ever  linkthemtw o together!  Fo lksthink I'm  Sa th ana s'  thra l l."

S heput  more s ticks o n  th ef i r e,  muttering while s he d id  so.

"` Goodne s san d  mercy!'  Eh,  dea r y  me! The r e' s not be en muc h  o 'that fo rthe ol dwit ch.   Fol k s ar e fear ed of ev en aw hite witch, an d  I ain't a
bl a ck ' un .   Ay , f eared enoug h. T hey' ll g i ve  me thing s, fo rf ea r .  But
nobody loves  m e--no,  nobo dy loves me!" 

With a v e s s el of ho t br o th in her hands,she c ame back t o  the nic he
be hind the  screen." Now, mydea rie , d rin k it  up.  I mustl e aveyo u alone  awhile a t a fte r.I'm  g oing outto beg a  c ov er le t a nd ab it morevi ctu al s. You' r e notafear ed t obe lef t?  The r e' s no n ee d,  mydea r- -neve r aw hit .  Theworst
out law in a ll  t he fore st would as s oo n face the  D evi l hims e l f as loo k
behind this screen. B ut I'll  lo ck yo u in  if you l ike  thatbet t er."
"As yo u wil l,  Mo t h er Ha l d an e. T he Lord wi l l  ta ke ca re  ofme, inthe way
He sees be s t f or me, and mo stforH i sglo r y. " 

" I' l l l o c k you in.  It'l l not be s oh ar d for Himt hen . Some'a t new,bain' t  it, fo r the lik e o' me t othin k o'helping Hi m?"

Erm ine answe r ed on l yby asmi le.  L et  th e old  woman lea rn to  come
 to_Him some_day, when He has_done His_work_in me_and_by
me.  As_to other earthly_friends, I would not_harm the few_I_might
mention, by letting their names be linked with mine, and they would be
afraid to_own_me. _For_my_childhood's friends, _they_ are all_over-sea.
I have no friend save_God and_you."

When Ermine said, "He is with me now,"_the_old woman had_glanced round
as if afraid of seeing some unearthly presence._ At the last sentence
she rose--for_she had been_kneeling_by_the girl--with a shake_of her
head, and went outside the_screen, muttering to herself.

"Nobody but the_snow-bird would ever link them two together!_ Folks
think I'm Sathanas' thrall."

She put_more sticks on the fire,_muttering while_she did so.

"`Goodness and mercy!'_ Eh, deary_me! _There's not been_much o' that for
the old witch._ Folks are_feared of even a white witch,_and_I ain't a
black_'un.__Ay, feared_enough.  They'll_give_me things,_for_fear.  But
nobody loves me--no, nobody_loves_me!"

With a vessel of hot broth in_her hands, she came_back_to the niche
behind the_screen.

"Now, my dearie, drink it_up.  I must leave you_alone a_while at_after.
I'm going out to beg a coverlet and a bit more_victuals.  You're not
afeared to be_left?  There's no_need, my_dear--never_a whit. _The_worst
outlaw in_all the forest would as soon face_the Devil_himself as look
behind this screen. _But I'll lock you_in_if you like that better."

"As you_will, Mother Haldane.  The Lord_will take care of me,_in_the_way
He sees best for me,_and most for His glory."

"I'll lock_you in. _It'll not be so hard for Him_then._ Some'at new,
bain't it, for the_like_o' me to think o' helping_Him?"

Ermine_answered_only by a smile. _Let the old woman learn to_come