But she saw his embarrassment and called to him.

“I came to see you, Ralph,” she said.  “I want to talk to you both.  May I go into your house and find a chair?”

Both boy and man hurried forward then with kindly greetings, and Bachelor Billy unlocked the door and bade her enter.

She went in and sat in the big rocking-chair, looking pale and weak, while Ralph hurried away to wash the black dust from his face and hands.

“Ye were verra kind, Mistress Burnham,” said the man, “to sen’ Ralph the gude things to eat when he waur sick.  An’ the perty roses ye gie’d ‘im,—­he never tired o’ watchin’ ’em.”

“I should have come myself to see him,” she replied, “only that I too have been ill.  I thought to send such little delicacies as might tempt his appetite.  I knew that he must be quite exhausted after so great a strain upon his nervous system.  The excitement wore me out, and I had no such struggle as he had.  I am glad he has rallied from the shock.”

“He’s not ower strang yet; ye ken that by lukin’ at ’im; but he’s a braw lad, a braw lad.”

The lady turned and looked earnestly into Bachelor Billy’s face.

“He’s the bravest boy,” she said, “the very bravest boy I ever knew or heard, of, and the very best.  I want him, Billy; I have come here to-night to ask you if I may have him.  Son or no son, he is very dear to me, and I feel that I cannot do without him.”

For a minute the man was silent.  Down deep in his heart there had been a spark of rejoicing at the probability that Ralph would stay with him now indefinitely.  He had pushed it as far out of sight as possible, because it was a selfish rejoicing, and he felt that it was not right since it came as a result of the boy’s misfortune.

And now suddenly the fear of loss had quenched it entirely, and the dread of being left alone came back upon him in full force.

He bit his lip before replying, to help hold back his mingled feeling of pleasure at the bright prospect opening for Ralph, and of pain for the separation which must follow.

“I dinna ken,” he said at last, “how aught could be better for the lad than bein’ wi’ ye.  Ye’re ower kin’ to think o’ it.  It’ll be hard partin’ wi’ im, but, if the lad wishes it, he s’all gae.  I ha’ no claim on ’im only to do what’s best for ’im as I ken it.  He’s a-comin’; he’ll speak for ’imsel’.”

Ralph came back into the room with face and hands as clean as a hurried washing could make them.  “What thenk ye,” said Bachelor Billy to him, “that the lady wants for ye to do?”

“I don’t know,” replied the boy, looking uneasily from one to the other; “but she’s been very good to me, an’, whatever it is, I’ll try to do it.”

“I want you to go home with me, Ralph,” said Mrs. Burnham, “and live with me and be my son.  I am not sure yet that you are not my child.  We shall find that out.  With the new light we have we shall make a new search for proofs of your identity, but that may take weeks, perhaps months.  In the meantime I cannot do without you.  I want you to come to me now, and, whatever the result of this new investigation may be, I want you to stay with me and be my son.  Will you come?”