So through the long hours she had waited, had waited and watched, listening for a footfall in the street, for a step on the porch, for a sound at her door; yet no one came.  The darkness that lay upon the earth seemed, also, to lie heavily on her spirit.

But now, at last, with the gray light that told of coming day, there crept into her heart a hope, a confidence, a serenity of faith that set it quite at rest.

She drew back the curtains and threw open the windows to let in the morning air.

The sky above the eastern hilltops was aglow with crimson; in the zenith it was like the color of the sweet pale rose.

She felt and knew that her boy was living and that very soon he would be with her.  Doubt had disappeared wholly from her mind.  She threw open the great hall doors that he might have a gracious and a fitting welcome to his home.

She went up once more to the room in which he was to lie until health should return to him, to see that it was ready to receive him.

When she again descended the stairs she saw the poor, bent figure of a man, carrying a burden in his arms, staggering weakly up the walk, laboring with awful effort at the steps of the porch.  He was wet and wretched, he was hatless and ragged, but on his soiled face was a smile befitting one of God’s angels.

He kissed his burden tenderly, and gave it into the lady’s arms.

He said:—­

“I’ve brought ‘im to ye fra the edge o’ daith.  His title to your luve is pinnit on ‘is breast.  I’m thankfu’—­thankfu’ for ye—­both.”

Bachelor Billy’s work was done.  He had lived to place his dearest treasure in the safest place on earth; there was nothing left for him to do.  He sank down gently to the floor of the broad hall.  The first sunlight of the new day flashed its rays against the stained-glass windows, and the windows caught them and laid them in coverlets of blue and gold across the prostrate form of this humblest of earth’s heroes.

Under them was no stain visible, no mark of poverty, no line of pain; he lay like a king in state with the cloth of gold across his body, and a crown of gold upon his head; but his soul, his brave, pure, noble soul, ah! that was looking down from the serene and lofty heights of everlasting life.

* * * * *

Yes, he lived, Ralph lived and became well and strong.  He took his name and his estates and chose his mother for his guardian; and life for him was very, very beautiful.

The summer passed and the singing birds grew silent in the woods and fields.  The grain stood golden, and the ripe fruit dropped from vine and tree.  October came, with her frosty nights and smoky days.  She dashed the hill-sides with her red and yellow, and then she held her veil of mist for the sun’s rays to shine through, lest the gorgeous coloring should daze the eyes of men.