It discerned in these things a power that would before long make her suffer.

She had no other sense of them.

* * * * *

She came to the drop of the road under Karva where she had seen Rowcliffe for the first time.

She thought, “I shall never get away from it.”

Far off in the bottom the village waited for her.

It had always waited for her; but she was afraid of it now, afraid of what it might have in store for her.  It shared her fear as it crouched there, like a beaten thing, with its huddled houses, naked and blackened as if fire had passed over them.

And Essy Gale stood at the Vicarage gate and waited.  She had her child at her side.  The two were looking for Gwenda.

“I thought mebbe something had ‘appened t’ yo,” she said.

As if she had seen what had happened to her she hurried the child in out of her sight.

Ten minutes to ten.

In the small dull room Gwenda waited for the hour of her deliverance. 
She had taken up her sewing and her book.

The Vicar sat silent, waiting, he too, with his hands folded on his lap.

And, loud through the quiet house, she heard the sound of crying and Essy’s voice scolding her little son, avenging on him the cruelty of life.

On Greffington Edge, under the risen moon, the white thorn-trees flowered in their glory.

THE END.

The following pages contain advertisements of Macmillan books by the same author, and new fiction.

By THE SAME AUTHOR

The Return of the Prodigal

Cloth, 12mo. $1.35 net.

“These are stories to be read leisurely with a feeling for the stylish and the careful workmanship which is always a part of May Sinclair’s work.  They need no recommendation to those who know the author’s work and one of the things on which we may congratulate ourselves is the fact that so many Americans are her reading friends.”—­Kansas City Gazette-Globe.

“They are the product of a master workman who has both skill and art, and who scorns to produce less than the best.”—­Buffalo Express.

“Always a clever writer, Miss Sinclair at her best is an exceptionally interesting one, and in several of the tales bound together in this new volume we have her at her best.”—­N.Y.  Times.

“...  All of which show the same sensitive apprehension of unusual cases and delicate relations, and reveal a truth which would be hidden from the hasty or blunt observer.”—­Boston Transcript.

“One of the best of the many collections of stories published this season.”—­N.Y.  Sun.

“...  All these stories are of deep interest because all of them are out of the rut.”—­Kentucky Post.

“Let no one who cares for good and sincere work neglect this book.”—­London Post.