Mr. Randall gazed at the two women in amazement.  He looked first at one and then at the other.

“What is the meaning of all this?” he demanded.  “John my son, and Jess your daughter!  For God’s sake, explain!”

With face as white as death, in a low voice, broken with emotion, Mrs. Hampton revealed to the astounded man the entire story of the exchange of the two babies in the hospital almost twenty years before.  When she had finished she stood silently before Randall, waiting for his reply.  What would his answer be? she asked herself.  Never for an instant had he taken his eyes from her face as she related the pathetic story of motherly shame.  Would he now scorn her and his wife, and spurn them from him as unworthy of the name of women?

Presently Randall gave a deep sigh, and turned to his wife.

“Is this story true, Helen?” he asked.

“It is true, Henry, true in every word,” the woman moaned, lifting her tear-stained face to his.  “But forgive us, for the love of heaven forgive us!  We have sinned, but we have suffered.  Oh, it has been terrible!”

So vehement was her emotion that she rose and stood once more before her husband by Mrs. Hampton’s side.  An intense silence reigned for a few seconds, and then Mr. Randall motioned them to sit down.

“You need not get so excited,” he told them, as wearily they both sank down in their chairs.  “I am amazed at what I have just heard, but I hope I am not brute enough to increase your agony.  You both have committed a great sin, but you have suffered enough, so I gather, to atone for the past.”

“And you forgive us?” his wife eagerly asked, looking at him with tear-dimmed eyes.

“Certainly I forgive you.  What else should I do?  But why did you not tell me about this before, Helen?”

“I was afraid, Henry.  And you know you would have condemned me had I told you even a month ago.”

“I believe you are right, Helen,” was the quiet reply.  “But I have changed a great deal since then.  I have been at death’s door, and see things in another light.  And besides, I would not have known then where and who my son is.  But I know now, so that makes all the difference.”

In Mrs. Randall’s eyes appeared an expression such as her husband had not seen there for many years.  It thrilled him, and carried him back to the first happy year of their wedded life.  Rising to her feet, she came swiftly toward him, knelt by his side, placed her arms about his neck and gave him a loving kiss.  Tears were in her eyes, but they were tears of joy now, and her heart was happy.

Mrs. Hampton was about to steal quietly away and leave the two alone with their new-found joy, when the sound of voices coming toward them caused her to hesitate.

“They are coming!” she announced, “and we must tell them!  What will they think?”

Across the field came the young lovers, talking and laughing in the gayest of spirits.  Their faces were flushed with vigourous exercise, and every motion of their bodies betokened abounding health.  Life was very sweet to them on this bright summer day as they advanced toward the silent group anxiously awaiting their coming beneath the spreading branches of the friendly old apple tree.