“For the Lard’s love go in quiet an’ gradual, or you’ll scare the life out of ’em all.”

And the answer came back,—­

“I knaw, I knaw; I ban’t the man to do a rash deed!”

Mr. Blee chuckled and plodded on through the night while Will strode far ahead.

Presently he stood beside the wicket of Mrs. Blanchard’s cottage and hesitated between two women.  Despite circumstances, there came no uncertain answer from the deepest well-springs of him.  He could not pass that gate just then.  And so he stopped and turned and entered; and she, his mother, sitting in thought alone, heard a footfall upon the great nightly silence—­a sudden, familiar footfall that echoed to her heart the music it loved best.

THE END.