DICK AND BROWNIE. 

by

Mabel Quiller-Couch

CONTENTS. 

Chapter. 

 I. THE ESCAPE. 

 II. A NIGHT SCARE. 

 III. WHAT THE MORNING BROUGHT. 

 IV. MISS ROSE. 

 V. SURPRISES. 

 VI. HULDAH GOES SHOPPING. 

 VII. A MEETING AND AN ALARM. 

 VIII. TRACKED DOWN. 

 IX. TO THE RESCUE. 

 X. ONE SUMMER'S AFTERNOON. 

 XI. HULDAH'S NEW HOME. 

 XII. HAPPY HOURS. 

CHAPTER I. 

THE ESCAPE. 

The summer sun blazed down scorchingly on the white road, on the widestretch of moorland in the distance, and on the little coppice whichgrew not far from the road. 

The only shady spot for miles, it seemed, was that one under thetrees in the little coppice, where the caravan stood; but even therethe heat was stifling, and the smell of hot blistering varnishmingled with the faint scent of honeysuckle and dog-roses. 

Not a sound broke the stillness, for even the birds had been drivento shelter and to silence, and except for the rabbits very few otherlive things lived about there, to make any sounds. That afternoonthere were four other live things in the coppice, but they too weresilent, for they were wrapped in deep sleep. The four were a man anda woman, a horse and a dog, and of all the things in that stretch ofcountry they were the most unlovely. The man and the woman weredirty, untidy, red-faced and coarse. Even in their sleep their faceslooked cruel and sullen. The old horse standing patiently by, withdrooping head and hopeless, patient eyes, looked starved and weak. His poor body was so thin that the bones seemed ready to push throughthe skin, on which showed the marks of the blows he had received thatmorning. The fourth creature there was a dog, as thin as the horse, but younger, a lank, yellow, ugly, big-bodied dog, with a cleverhead, bright, speaking brown eyes, and as keen a nose for scent asany dog ever born possessed. 

The brown eyes had been closed for a while in slumber, but presentlythey opened alertly; a fly had bitten his nose, and the owner of thenose got up to catch the fly. This done, he looked around him. He looked with drooped ears and tail at the sleeping man and woman, with ears a little raised at the old horse, and then with both earsand tail alertly cocked he looked about him eagerly, even anxiously. A second later he was leaping up the steps and into the caravan; butin less than a minute he was out again, leaping over the steps at theother end, and out to the edge of the coppice. What he was in searchof was not in the van, or under it, or anywhere near it. 

The dog did not whine, or make a sound. He knew better than that. A whine would have brought a heavy boot flying through the air athim, or a stick across his back, or a kick in the ribs, if he werefoolish enough to go within reach of a foot. With his long nose tothe ground he stepped delicately to the edge of the coppice, thenstood still looking about him, his brown eyes full of wistfulanxiety. 

He looked to the right, he looked to the left, he listened eagerly, then he stepped back to the van again. This time he found something. It was only a clue, but it sent his spirits up again, and with hisnose to the ground he came quickly back to the edge of the littlewood and beyond it; then, evidently satisfied, he took to his heelsand raced away with a joy which almost forced a yelp of triumph fromhis throat. 

The old horse raised his head and looked after the dog wistfully. "If only I were as young and fleet, and able to get away as quietly!"he thought longingly, and sighed a sigh which made his thin sidesheave painfully. Then his head drooped again, even more sadly thanbefore, and he closed his eyes patiently once more. He loved thelank yellow dog. Next to little Huldah he loved him better thananything in the world. It hurt him as much or more to hear the stickraining blows on them as it did to feel it on his own poor batteredbody, for his poor skin was hardened, but his feelings were not. 

On each side of the wide road which ran past the coppice and awayfrom it were sunk ditches and high hedges, separating it from a bitof wild moorland, which stretched away on either side as far as eyecould see. Here and there in the hedges were gaps, through which aperson or an animal could pass from the road to the moor, and backagain. To Dick, who did not understand it, this was verybewildering. Ahead of him a black shadow would flit for a moment, dark against the dazzling white road, then it would disappear. It moved so swiftly and so close to the ground, that if it had notbeen for the scent he might have thought it was some animal dodgingabout among the ditches and dry grasses. Dick could not know thatwhen it had slipped through a gap in the hedge it became, instead ofa shadow, a solid little dingy brown figure. 

Dick was puzzled. He was sure that Huldah was on ahead of himsomewhere, and he was very sure that he wanted her, but he was not atall sure where she was, or that she wanted him; and there are timesin the lives of caravan dogs when they are not wanted, and are madeto know it. Dick had learnt that fact, but he wanted Huldah, and hecould not help feeling that she wanted him. It was very seldom thatshe did not. 

So he followed along slowly, keeping at a safe distance, his eyes andhis senses all on the alert to find out if that shadow ahead of himwas really his little mistress, or what it was--and if she would beangry if he ran after her and joined her. 

For a mile, for two miles, they went on like this, then the moorended, and roads and fields and houses came in sight. The blackshadow, which was really a little brown girl, stood for a momentunder the shelter of the hedge and looked hurriedly about her. "Which'll be the safest way to go?" she gasped to herself, and wishedher heart would not thump so hard, for it made her tremble so thatshe could hardly stand or move. She shaded her eyes with her littlesun-burnt hand and looked about her anxiously. 

"They'd be certain sure to take the van along the main road, " shesaid to herself; "and anyway somebody might see me, and tell _'im_. He's sure to ask everybody if they've seen me. " A sob caught in herthroat, and tears came very near her eyes. She had often and oftenthought of running away, but had never before had the courage and theopportunity at the same time, and now that she had got both, and hadseized them, she was horribly frightened. 

She was not so frightened by the prospect of want and loneliness anduncertainty which lay before her, as she was by the thought of beingcaught, and taken back again. The risk of capture after this boldstep of hers, and what would follow, were so terrible that the merethought of them made her turn off the high road at a run, and dashinto the nearest lane she came to. She had the sense to choose oneon the opposite side of the road, lest she should find herself backon the moor again. A moor was so treacherous, there was no shelter, and one never knew when one would be pounced on. There was noshelter either, no food, no house, no safe hiding-place, and ofcourse there was no chance of finding a friend there, who might takepity on her. 

The lane she dashed into so blindly was a steep one, it led up, andup, and up, but the hedges were so high she could not see anythingbeyond them. They shut out all the air too, and the heat was quitestifling, her poor thin little face grew scarlet, the perspirationran off her brow in heavy drops. She picked up her apron at last, towipe them away, and then it was she found the bundle of raffia andthe two or three baskets she had brought out to sell, when thethought had come to her that she would never go back any more--thathere was the chance she had longed for. Now, when she noticed thebaskets for the first time, her heart beat faster than ever, for shecould well picture the rage there would be, when it was discoveredthat not only had she run away, but had taken with her two basketsready for sale!

"They are mine! I made them, " she gasped, nervously, "and I left somebehind!" but her alarm put fresh energy into her tired feet, and, inspite of the heat and her weariness, she ran, and ran madly, she didnot know or care whither, as long as she got lost. Wherever she sawa way, she took it; the more winding it was the better. Anythingrather than keep to a straight, direct road that they could trace. 

At one moment she thought of hiding away her baskets and raffia, butshe was very, very hungry by this time, and with the baskets lay heronly chance of being able to buy food, and oh, she needed food badly. She needed it so much that at last, from sheer exhaustion, she had tostop and lie down on the ground to recover herself. 

It was then that Huldah first caught sight of Dick. All the way shehad gone, he had followed her at a distance, careful never to get tooclose, cautiously keeping well out of sight, running when she ran, drawing back and half-concealing himself when she slackened her pace, and there was a likelihood of her looking around. Now at last, though, they had come to moorland again, with only a big boulder hereand there for shelter, and when Huldah suddenly fell down, exhausted, Dick, in his fright at seeing her lying on the ground motionless, forgot all about hiding away. Everything but concern for his littlemistress went out of his head. Huldah, lying flat on the ground withher head resting on her outstretched arm, her face turned away fromthe pitiless sun, saw nothing. She did not want to see anything; thedesolateness of the great bare stretch of land frightened her. She felt terribly frightened, and terribly lonely. Should she diehere, she wondered, alone! At the prospect a sob broke from her. 

To poor Dick, who had crept up so close that he stood beside her, this was too much. At the sound of her distress he was so overcome, he could no longer keep his feelings under restraint. A bark brokefrom him, eager, coaxing, half frightened; then, repentant andashamed, he thrust his hot nose into Huldah's hand, and licked itapologetically. 

Weary, dead-beat as she was, Huldah sprang up into a sittingposition. "Dick!" she cried, "oh, Dick! How did you come here?Oh, I am so glad, so glad!" and flinging her arms round his longyellow neck she burst into happy tears. Dick was delighted. Instead of being scolded, he was petted, and his little mistress wasplainly glad to see him. He was as hungry as she was, and verynearly as tired, but nothing mattered to him now. 

"Oh, Dick, how did you come? and, oh, won't they beat us if theycatch us! and--and oh, I hope they won't beat poor old Charlie worsethan ever, because they are angry. Oh, I do wish Charlie was heretoo. Poor old Charlie! he will be so lonely. "

Dick wagged his tail and looked about him. Perhaps he was thinkingthat Charlie might have been able to find something to eat in thatbare spot, but that it was more than they could. Huldah realisedthis too, and with a sigh she scrambled on to her aching feet again. She must find somebody to help them--a house and food of some kind. 

"You shall lead the way this time, Dick. You are clever, and canscent things out. You'll know which way to go to find houses. "

It took Dick a little while to understand that he was expected to runahead now, not to follow, and indeed it is doubtful if he didunderstand it, but a rabbit popping up ahead of them at that momentdrew him on, and Huldah more slowly followed. It was a very zig-zagway that Dick took them, for he was intent on finding rabbits, nothouses, but, fortunately, it led them at last to a house, too. 

The sun was going down in a crimson glory, and a mistiness wascreeping up over the land on all sides, when, to her great relief, Huldah saw the welcome sight of smoke rising out of chimneys, thenother signs of life, and presently came to a farm standing in themiddle of a large yard. The yard seemed very full of animals, andwhere there were no animals there were hay-ricks and corn, and emptyupturned carts and waggons. 

It was a lonely-looking place in that evening light, and themelancholy mooing of the cows, the good-night cluckings of the hens, the bleating of the sheep, seemed to add to the desolateness. As Huldah and Dick drew nearer, another and more terrifying soundarose, and that was the barking of dogs. Dogs sprang up fromeverywhere, or so it seemed to poor little Huldah, and, forgettingthe coming night, her hunger and everything else, she fled from theplace, shrieking to Dick to follow her. 

Fortunately, Dick obeyed. Hunger and tiredness had taken most of hisspirit out of him, or he could never have resisted such anopportunity for a fight; the enemy numbered six to one, too, not tospeak of the farmer, who was armed with a long whip, and two or threeworkmen, who were well provided with sticks or pitchforks, andhungry, footsore Dick did not at that moment feel equal to facingthem all, and doing himself justice. So, with an impudent flick ofhis tail he followed Huldah, with the air of one who would not deignto fight mere farm-dogs. 

It was a very weary, dejected pair, though, that at last stoppedrunning, and summoned courage to stand and look about them once more;and the fright had so shaken Huldah's courage that when presently shecaught sight of more smoking chimneys, and a group of little greystone houses, and other signs of life not far ahead of them, she feltalmost more sorry than glad. 

When she came closer, and found the village street full of people, she felt decidedly sorry, and wished wildly that she had gone anyother way, and so avoided them. 

After the terrible heat of the day, men, women and children had allturned out of their close, stifling cottages, and were sitting orlounging about on doorstep or pavement, enjoying the coolness of theevening air; and, having nothing to do and little to talk about, andnot much to look at, they naturally took a great interest in theodd-looking pair which came suddenly into their midst. The dusty, shabby little girl and the lanky yellow dog. 

Huldah did not appreciate their interest. She felt ill withnervousness, when she saw all the eyes turned towards her, and, shelonged to be out on the moor again, --anywhere, lost, hungry, lonely, tired, rather than under this fire of eyes. She had wanted very muchto try to sell one of her baskets, that she might be able to buy somebread, but the staring people daunted her. She felt she could nothave stopped and spoken to one of them, or have offered her wares, tohave saved her life. It was all she could do to drag her tremblinglimbs past them, and out of their sight. 

The end of the street was reached at last, though the cottages grewmore and more scattered, then stopped altogether, and the pair foundthemselves alone once more. Poor Dick was by this time past doinganything but plod wearily along, his tail down, his ears drooping, his tongue hanging out. Huldah herself was in a half-dazed state, she scarcely knew where she was, or what she was doing. She ploddedon and on mechanically, every step becoming harder, every yard agreater tax on her. She had almost given up hope, and decided to liedown under a hedge for the night, when her dim eyes were attracted bya light which suddenly shone out on the darkness, down a little laneon her right. 

She paused in her walk, and stood gazing at it longingly. To theexhausted, lonely, frightened child it seemed a beautiful sight. It was like a friendly smile, a kindly welcome reaching out to her inher hopelessness. 

"I will go and ask them to help me, " she thought, dully. "They won'tkill me; perhaps they'll give me a bit of bread for one of mybaskets. They won't call the p'lice so late as this. "

Dick looked up at her and obediently followed. It was all one to himwhere he went. He had no hopes and no fears, he was better off thanpoor Huldah in that respect, but he roused to renewed interest andexpectation when his little mistress stopped before a cottage, andwalking timidly up the garden, knocked at the front door. 

CHAPTER II. 

A NIGHT SCARE. 

Silence! Seconds passed, to Huldah they seemed endless, her heart, which at first had beat furiously, quieted down until it seemedscarcely to beat at all. Save for the good-night calls of the birds, and the sad mooing of a cow in a field not far away, the silenceremained unbroken. 

"Perhaps I didn't knock loud enough, " thought Huldah, "or whoever'sinside may be gone to sleep. "

If her plight had been less desperate, she would never have had thecourage to knock again, but she felt ill and exhausted andfrightened, and something seemed to tell her that here she might findhelp. So, after waiting a little longer, she screwed up her courageagain, and rapped once more, this time more loudly; and this time, atany rate, her knock called forth response. There were sounds ofhasty shuffling steps across the floor, and then a voice, old andevidently trembling, called through the door, "Who is there?"

Huldah was puzzled how to answer. If she were to say "me, " it wouldbe only foolish, while if she called back, "I am Huldah Bate, " herhearer would not know who Huldah Bate was. However, she had to saysomething, so she called back pleadingly, "I am a little girl, HuldahBate, and please, ma'am, I'm starving, and--and please open the door. I can't hurt you, I am too little. "

It was her voice even more than her words which induced Martha Perryto open her door to the suppliant. It was such a childish voice, andso weak, and pleading, and tired. So the bolts were drawn back, andthe door was opened. It was only opened a few inches, but wideenough to let out a stream of light, which brought some comfort andhope to the child's heart and the dog's heart. Huldah steppedforward into the light to show herself. 

"You are sure you 'aven't got anybody with you?" asked the woman, with nervous suspicion. 

"No, ma'am, no one but Dick. "

"Who's Dick?" hastily pushing the door close, in her alarm. 

"Dick's my dog. He--he followed me. He's starving, too, " and a sobbroke from Huldah's throat. "We wouldn't hurt you, ma'am, foranything; we couldn't, we're dead-beat. I haven't had anything toeat since yesterday, and we've come miles and miles. I don't want tocome in, ma'am, " she pleaded, more and more eagerly, as the doorremained rigidly closed, except for about three inches. "If onlyyou'll give us a bit of bread. I haven't got any money, but I'llgive you one of my baskets for it. Oh, please, ma'am, don't turn usaway!" The tears began to rain down her thin white cheeks. She hadborne all that she could bear, and she had not the strength to keepthem back any longer. 

Dick, who could never bear to see his little mistress crying, pushedhimself forward; first he licked Huldah's hand, and then seatedhimself in front of her, as though to protect her from the ogress whomade her cry. Something in the ogress's face, though, told Dick thatshe was not a real ogress, and he looked up at her with a world ofpleading in his big brown eyes, and his long tail waving coaxingly. 

"Poor doggie!" exclaimed the ogress. "Poor Dick, are you hungry, too? You do look tired and thin. Yes, you shall come in;" and thenarrow stream of light became a wide river, which broke over the pairand surrounding them drew them in, until they found themselves safelylanded in the cosiest little kitchen Huldah had ever seen. 

It was really a very humble little kitchen, with signs of povertyeverywhere, but to Huldah it was a palace. It was spotlessly clean, and as neat as a new pin, and to a child who had spent the greaterpart of her life in a dirty, untidy caravan, this was a sign ofsuperiority, even of luxury. 

To Dick the cleanness and neatness meant nothing, the rag mat beforethe hearth was the most luxurious thing he had ever seen in the wholeof his life, and he stretched his lanky aching body on it with a deepsigh of perfect bliss, and promptly fell asleep. 

Huldah and old Mrs. Perry meanwhile stood in the middle of thekitchen surveying each other. 

"Sit down, child, " said Martha, at last, "you look fit to drop. "She spoke brusquely but not unkindly. 

"Thank you, ma'am, " said Huldah, gratefully, and perched herself, with a long-drawn breath of excitement, on the edge of the hard chairnearest the door. 

"Not there. Go and sit in the arm-chair by the fire-place. Would you like a cup of tea?"

"Oh!" gasped Huldah, almost too delighted to be able to find words toanswer with. There was more pleasure, though, in her tone than anynumber of words could have conveyed. 

"The kettle is on the boil. I was just going to have a cup myself, before I went to bed. "

"Oh, thank you, ma'am!" gasped Huldah, feebly, but again with a worldof gratitude in her tone. 

"Put down your load for a time, then, and rest your arms. " Then, asher eyes fell on the baskets the child had been carrying, "Was it oneof those you offered me for a bit of bread?"

"Yes, ma'am, " answered Huldah, shyly. 

"Well, you meant well, I don't doubt, but those baskets are worthmore than a bit of bread. They ought to sell for eighteenpence ortwo shillings each, I should say. "

"Yes, ma'am, Aunt Emma always asks half-a-crown, and then comes downto two shillings or eighteenpence, " said Huldah, innocently. 

"Who's Aunt Emma?"

Huldah hesitated a moment, somewhat at a loss how to explain. "She isn't my real aunt, though I calls her so. She and Uncle Tomain't any relation to me really. They're called Smith, and my nameis Huldah Bate; but when mother died--"

"Haven't you got any mother?"

"No, ma'am, and father is dead too. He died when I was too little toremember, and mother earned her living by making baskets, and when Iwas big enough she taught me. "

"How long ago did your mother die?" asked Mrs. Perry, more gently. 

"Two years, ma'am, and when she died Aunt Emma and Uncle Tom said Iwas to go and live with them. They said mother had said I was to. "

"Um! Did your mother think so much of them, then?"

"No, ma'am. They was always too rough for mother, they drinks a lot, and--and swears terrible, and they'm always fighting. "

"I wonder at your mother leaving you to such people to be took careof. "

"I don't believe mother ever did, " said Huldah, "she never told meso, anyway, " and she burst into bitter sobs; "but there wasn'tanybody else there, and they told the parish orf'cer that I was theirlittle girl, and then they went away as fast as they could, and tookme with them. "

"Are they kind to you?"

"They beat me--they're always beating me, or Dick, or Charlie, --Charlie is the old horse that draws the van, --and I'd sooner bebeaten myself than see them being knocked about. We don't ever getenough to eat, but that isn't so bad as the beatings. "

"Poor child! You both look as if you had never had enough to eat inyour lives. Did they make baskets too?"

"No, ma'am, they can't. They make clothes-pegs, and they sellbrushes and mats, but my baskets brought them in as much as a pound aweek sometimes, and oh!" and she gasped at the thought, "Uncle Tomwill be angry, when he finds I don't come back!" and her eyes werefull of terror as she thought of his passion. 

Mrs. Perry disappeared into the little scullery behind the kitchen, and opened the door of the safe where she kept her scanty store offood. There was very little in it but a ham-bone, a few eggs, a loafof bread, and a tiny bit of butter. The bone she had, earlier in theday, decided would make her some pea-soup for to-morrow's dinner, butshe thought of poor Dick and his hollow sides, and came to theconclusion that her soup would taste just as good without the bone;and Dick, when he really grasped the fact that the whole of the bigbone was really meant for him, soon showed her that no ham-bone inthe world had ever given more complete satisfaction. 

"Could you eat an egg?"

Huldah stared blankly at her hostess. She could not at first realisethat the question was meant for her. "An egg! Me! Oh, yes, ma'am, but I don't want anything so--so good as that. " She could have eatenanything, no matter how plain, or poor, or unappetizing. But an egg!One of the greatest luxuries she had ever tasted. "A bit of drybread will be plenty good enough. Eggs cost a lot, and--and--"

"My hens lay eggs for me in plenty. I don't ever have to buy one, "said the old woman, proudly. "I've got some fine hens. "

"Do you keep a farm, ma'am?"

Mrs. Perry smiled and sighed. "No, child; a few hens don't make afarm. I had a cow at one time, but all that's left is the house shelived in. Now, draw over to the table and have your supper. "

At any other time Huldah would have been shy of eating before astranger, for in the caravan good manners were only a subject forsneers and laughter, and she remembered enough of her mother'steaching to know how shocking to ordinary eyes Mr. And Mrs. Smith'sbehaviour would have seemed. To-night, though, she was tooravenously hungry for shyness to have much play. She tried toremember all she could of what her mother had taught her, and gotthrough fairly creditably. 

"Now, " said Mrs. Perry, when that wonderful, glorious meal was atlast ended, "where did you think of going for the night?"

"I don't know, " sighed Huldah, wistfully. "I hadn't thought ofanywhere perticler. I daresay there's a rick or a hedge we can laydown under. I don't mind where I go, so long as Uncle Tom don't findus. "

"Well, I can't give you a bed here. I've only this room and mybedroom, and--and--" Mrs. Perry did not like to explain that she wastoo nervous, and too doubtful of Huldah's honesty to leave her alonein the kitchen, while she herself went to bed and to sleep. To her mind all gipsies, and all gipsy children, were thieves, andthough she was interested in Huldah, and felt very sorry for her, shehad, after all, only known her about an hour, and knew nothing of herpast history. In her heart she could not as yet believe all herstory, or bring herself to trust her. 

The child instinctively felt something of this distrust, and it hurther. Her eyes filled, but she forced back the tears, and spoke outbravely. 

"I shall do all right, thank you, ma'am. We'll be going on again, now. I ain't afraid of nothing when I've got Dick with me, and--andthank you, ma'am, for all you've given us; but I wish you'd 'ave oneof my baskets, ma'am, please! I can easy make another, and I'd beglad if you would, please, ma'am. "

Mrs. Perry felt a prick of conscience, and her heart melted. She could see that the child's feelings were hurt, and that herself-respect made her anxious to pay for all they had received. 

"If you wouldn't mind sleeping in the barn in the garden, you andyour dog, you're welcome. It's as clean as can be, and there'splenty of nice straw there, to make a comfortable bed for you. You'd be under shelter there, and if so be as your uncle should comethis way, he'd never find you there. "

Instead of conferring a favour, she found herself almost asking thechild to stay, and to Huldah the temptation was too great to beresisted. To be safe from her uncle! She felt she could bearanything, if she could only for a few hours feel quite safe. She was so tired, too, so dead-tired, she did not know, in spite ofher brave words, how she could possibly drag her weary body a stepfurther. 

A few moments later the front-door had been securely bolted, and Mrs. Perry, lantern in hand, was conducting her two strange visitors outof the back door and down the garden. 

"That's the fowls' house, " she explained, flashing her lantern overthe door of the little building as they passed it, "and here is thebarn. "

She opened the door, and threw the lantern light all over the woodenshed. It was spotlessly clean, and sweet with the smell of the strawwhich was scattered about one end of it. There were some bundles andsome loose straw lying on the ground. Huldah sank down on one of thebundles with a little cry of relief, while Dick burrowed delightedlyin the loose straw. 

"You won't be afraid, you think?"

"No, ma'am, thank you, not with Dick, " she answered, bravely. 

She did not feel quite so brave, though, when the light had gone, andshe heard the house-door bolted, and found herself and Dick shut inalone in the dark in that great empty strange place. She did wishthat Mrs. Perry had seen fit to leave them the lantern. Rats lovedstraw, Huldah knew, so did mice, and she was dreadfully afraid ofboth. The moonlight shone in through the sides of the barn, andHuldah had a feeling that eyes were at all the chinks, watching her. 

To try to forget the rats and mice and not to see the eyes, shenestled down in the straw, with one bundle at her head and another ather back, and hoped she would soon fall asleep and forget everything. But though she was so tired, or, perhaps, because she was overtired, sleep when it did come was not sound or pleasant. Every time Dickrustled the straw, she awoke. Every time a bird called or an owlhooted, she started up wide awake. She woke once from a dream of heruncle, with, as she thought, his voice echoing in her ear. Another time she felt certain he was banging at the barn door, tryingto get in, to beat her and Dick, and take them both back. 

"Oh, I wish it was morning!" she sighed, and sat up on her straw bed, to see if daylight was beginning to dawn yet. 

But all was dark still; even the moon had gone. She was just aboutto lie wearily down again, when a real, not a dream sound, caught herear. The sound of nailed boots on stones, and stealthy footsteps. 

"It really is someone climbing the wall and coming up the garden, "she thought to herself, and her mouth and throat grew dry withterror, and her heart beat suffocatingly. "Dick!" she gasped, in alow voice. "Dick, they're coming, they've found us. Listen!"

Dick raised himself on his haunches, with his ears cocked. Huldahwas seized with sudden fear that he would growl, and so betray theirhiding-place, for her uncle would recognise Dick's growl in a moment. She laid her hand on his collar firmly. "Quiet!" she commanded, firmly, and knew that he would obey. She tried to peer out throughthe chinks, but it was hard to move without rustling the straw, andall without was black as pitch. 

Then suddenly, quite close to her on the other side of the planking, sounded a whisper, and Huldah never knew afterwards whether she wasmost frightened or relieved--frightened by the nearness of somebody, or relieved that the somebody was not her "uncle. "

"Bill, where's the sack?" the voice asked, impatiently. 

"I dunno!" answered another voice, sourly. "You had it. I've cut myknee on that there wall; I can feel the blood running down my leg. "

"You always manages to do something, " was all the sympathy Bill got. "We've got to 'ave the sack, so you'd better find it. How're we tocarry the birds without it? In our hats?"

"It's the fowls!" thought Huldah, thrilling with excitement. "They're going to steal the fowls. Oh, they shan't! The lady'llthink it's me. Oh, what can I do? How can I tell her? I _must_stop them, somehow!"

Bill had gone back in search of the sack, and the other thief stoodwaiting for him. Huldah had time to think, but no plan came to her. She did not know her way, nor where to turn for help; and if shescreamed, they would only find her out, and knock her about. They would steal the fowls all the same. A slight movement besideher recalled her thoughts, and sent her spirits up with a bound. "Dick! why, of course Dick would help her!"

Quick as thought she crept to the door, and with one hand on Dick'scollar she gently raised the latch with the other. Bill hadevidently found the sack, for the thieves were together again; sheheard them whispering. One even seemed to be already fumbling withthe latch of the fowls' house door. 

"Quick, Dick, catch them!" she whispered, excitedly. "Go for them, Dick! bring them down!" With one fierce yelp Dick was out of hergrasp and out of her sight. 

It had all happened so swiftly that the thieves were bewildered, dazed, and frightened almost beyond power of speech or movement. They had heard nothing, and certainly had expected nothing, yetsuddenly, from somewhere quite near by, came a voice, and out of thedarkness came a large dog bounding upon them, growling savagely. For a second they were too frightened to move; then, with an oath, they dashed across the garden, making for the wall they had comeover. Fast though they went, Dick was after them and on them, andBob, as well as Bill, knew what it was to feel blood trickling downhis leg. Bob yelled, Bill groaned, Dick growled and snarled andbarked furiously with excitement. The frightened hens, startled bythe hubbub, added their share to the uproar. 

In the cottage a curtain was drawn back quickly from a window, and awhite frightened face stared out. Huldah caught sight of it, andcoming out of the shelter of the barn, raced eagerly along the pathto the house. 

"It's all right, " she cried, panting. "It's all right, ma'am, somefellows come stealing your fowls, but Dick's after them. "

Dick was after them, but he could not capture them; he was but ayoung dog, and the enemy was two to one. A heavy kick sent himrolling over, just as the thieves reached the wall, and before hecould pick himself up again they were over it, and making good theirescape. 

At the sound of Dick's cry Huldah went flying back to the spot whencethe sound came. "Oh, Dick, Dick, what have they done!" she cried, terrified. 

Dick, though, was not one to make a fuss about anything. Kicks hewas well accustomed to. Men, according to his experience, were givento kicking. Limping heavily, but mightily pleased with his fray, hecame running up to her. Huldah knelt down in the path beside him, and hugged him to her. "Oh, Dick!" she cried, anxiously, passing herlittle hand over him to feel for any hurt. "Poor Dick, you arealways getting knocked about by somebody!"

But Dick was far less concerned than she was. All that reallytroubled him was that his enemies had escaped him, and had got off solightly. 

"Huldah! Huldah!" called a frightened voice from the doorway. "Whatever is happening? Oh, do come in, child, and bring Dick. I am terrified to be left alone! Come in, both of you, and shut thedoor;" and at the sound of her voice Dick gave up his frantic searchfor his enemies, and limped quickly back. When the lady who gave himthe ham-bone called, she must never be kept waiting!

CHAPTER III. 

WHAT THE MORNING BROUGHT. 

It was a very shaken, tremulous trio which stood and faced each otherin the tiny kitchen, after they had locked and bolted the door. Dick trembled with excitement and eagerness only, but Mrs. Perry wasreally frightened. 

"But what of my poor hens!" she gasped, as Huldah poured out theadventures of the night. "Will the thieves come back again?What can I do? There's twelve of them; I can't bring them allindoors, and yet--oh, poor dears, and they so tame, and knowing me sowell. I'd sooner see them all dead than in the hands of such men;and they'll be so frightened. "

"They're all safe enough, ma'am, " said Huldah, consolingly. "The thieves didn't as much as open the door before Dick was on them, and they won't be coming back here again in a hurry; they'll neverfeel sure but what Dick's under the wall waiting for them. "

Mrs. Perry bent down, and patted Dick's head gratefully. It was thefirst time she had actually touched him. "Good dog, " she said, warmly. "Oh, you good doggie, to protect a strange old woman and herbelongings!" and Dick was overcome with pride and gratitude for hercondescension. 

"Oh, I am glad it has all ended so well, " she exclaimed, with a deepsigh of thankfulness. "What with the shouting and the barking andconfusion, I couldn't make out anything, or hear what you said, and Ithought for certain they'd got away with the poor things;" and shepatted Dick's head again, to his great delight and Huldah's. "I must sit down, I am that shaken, " and she crept over to a chairand dropped into it wearily, "and I am sure you must be too, child. I wish the fire hadn't gone out; it seems chilly now, for all 'twassuch a hot day, --at least, I am chilly. "

"Let me light up the fire for you?" asked Huldah, eagerly. "You dolook cold, ma'am. Shall I make you a cup of tea, or get you somemilk or something?"

The scene they had just passed through seemed to have broken downsome barrier, and drawn them as close together as though they hadknown each other a long time. 

Martha Perry hesitated a moment, though not now because shedistrusted Huldah. She was thinking, ought she to afford it?"Yes, child, " she answered, at last. "I don't believe I could sleepif I went to bed as I am, I feel all unstrung and chilled. " Then hermind went back to the thought which troubled her most--"I wonder ifthe fowls will be really all right, " she mused, anxiously. 

"Oh yes, ma'am. " Huldah had no doubts on that point. "Those fellowswould be afraid to come back. Dick did give them a scare, springingout of the dark on them like that, and they're too hurt about thelegs to want to walk any further than they can help, yet awhile!"

"Oh yes, of course, " in accents of great relief, "I'd forgotten. They wouldn't want to come and face Dick again, and they wouldn'tknow but what he was mine, and always living here. "

A bright idea came to Huldah. "Would you like me to let Dick outinto the garden again. He'd see that nobody came into it. Nobody wouldn't dare touch anything with him there, I know!"

The suggestion evidently pleased Mrs. Perry, and relieved hergreatly. "Now that would be a comfort, " she said, gratefully. "I'd feel ever so safe then. On a warm night like this he can'thurt, can he?"

Huldah laughed. "Dick doesn't know what 'tis to sleep in, " she said. "The most he ever had was a sack thrown down under the van, unlesswhen Charlie was put in a stable, and they'd let Dick go in too, butUncle Tom liked best to have him about, to guard the van. "

All the time she was talking she was laying in the fire quickly anddeftly. Mrs. Perry watched her interestedly. She felt the comfortof having someone cheerful to speak to; and when she remembered thatbut for this little stray waif she would have been alone now, and herhen-house robbed, her heart was very full of gratitude. 

"Miss Rosamund will blame me when she hears about it, " she said, presently. "She was always telling me I ought to have a strong lockon the hen-house door. She said it was tempting folk to bedishonest, --not to have anything but just the latch, and me known tokeep good fowls always. 'Twas Miss Rose that gave them to me, " sheexplained. "I mean, she gave me a sitting of her prize eggs, andevery one hatched out. "

"Oh my!" exclaimed Huldah, who had filled the kettle, and was nowwaiting for it to boil. She was immensely interested in all she sawand heard, and there seemed so much to see and hear in this new lifeinto which she had suddenly found her way. "Is Miss Rose a--a lady?"She only put the question in the hope of leading Mrs. Perry on totalk more. 

"A lady! I should think she was, indeed! One of the best that everlived! 'Twould be a good thing for this world if there were morelike her. "

Huldah listened intently. She wondered if she should ever see thiswonderful Miss Rose, and find out what it was that made Mrs. Perryspeak so warmly about her. She thought it must be fine to be thoughtmuch of by anybody so superior as Mrs. Perry. 

"I think you are the kindest lady in the world, " she said, impulsively, looking up at her hostess with shy, grateful eyes. "Would Miss Rose have taken me and Dick in, if we had come to herhouse like we did to yours?"

"That she would!" declared Mrs. Perry, emphatically, "and 'twas thethought of what she would do that made me do it. "

"I'd love to see Miss Rose, " said Huldah, eagerly. "I wonder if Iever shall!" but the kettle boiled at that moment, and Mrs. Perry'smind was taken up with the making of the tea. 

While they sat on each side of the hearth, drinking their tea andeating their crusts of bread, she wished Miss Rose could know aboutthis little waif, who seemed really not a bad little waif, but honestand very thoughtful and kind. She wanted her advice as to what to doabout her. Already her feelings towards the child had changed somuch that she did not like to think of sending her away in themorning, to wander on alone again, with no home, no money or food, and no protection but Dick. 

Dick might be killed, or stolen, and then the poor little soul wouldbe alone in the world. Huldah looked up eagerly at her hostess morethan once, but, though she was longing to ask some more questions, she did not like to interrupt her while she gazed with such grave, thoughtful eyes into the fire. 

At last Mrs. Perry roused herself from her thoughts, with a tiredsigh, and brought her eyes back to Huldah again. "Have a bit morebread, " she urged, kindly, seeing that the little brown hand wasempty. "You must be hungry. "

Huldah was always hungry, but she was not accustomed to any noticebeing taken of the fact. "No, thank you, ma'am, " she said, politely. She had already guessed that her kind protector was very poor, andshe knew well what a difference every slice made to a loaf, so shesaid, "No, thank you, ma'am, " though she could really have eaten thewhole of the nice brown crusty top. But she was more interested inMiss Rose than in her own appetite. 

"Does Miss Rose live near here?" she asked. 

Mrs. Perry smiled. "Why, how funny!" she exclaimed. "I was thinkingof Miss Rose too. Yes; she lives at the vicarage, and that's alittle way further on in the main road. If you hadn't turned downthis lane, you'd have come to it about half-a-mile further on. I wonder you didn't see the church tower as you came along. "

"It was too dark, " said Huldah. "Oh, I was glad when I saw yourlight shine out, " she added, impetuously. "I didn't know what to door where to go, and we were so tired! I very nearly lay down underthe hedge, 'cause I felt as if I couldn't drag another step. "

"It'd have been better for you if you hadn't seen it, but had gone ontill you came to the vicarage. "

"I don't think so, " said Huldah, emphatically. "P'raps the servantswould have driven us off, --anyway, they couldn't have been kinderthan you was--"

"It wouldn't have been better for me if you'd gone on, " added Mrs. Perry, gratefully. "I shouldn't have had any hens now, if it hadn'tbeen for you, and I'd have been scared to death. I think I will goup to bed now, " she added presently, in a weary voice. "I hadthought I wouldn't go back again, but I am that tired. "

"You do look tired, " rejoined Huldah, sympathetically. Her ownlittle body was aching all over, and she was so weary she couldgladly have lain down anywhere and slept, but it never occurred toher to mention the fact. "Dick'll mind the garden, so don't youworry about that. "

"Can you sleep on the sofa, do you think?"

"Oh yes, ma'am!" cried Huldah, rapturously, gazing at the hard blackhorse-hair covered thing as though it were the most luxurious couchin the world. 

"I'll give you my big shawl, to wrap yourself up in, and you can usethat cushion there for a pillow. "

"Thank you, ma'am; but I think, " she added, anxiously, "I'll run outfirst, and see that Dick's all right. You can bolt the door after mewhile I'm out. "

Martha Perry did not do that, though. She stood there with the opendoor in her hand, and watched almost affectionately the little brownfigure run down the garden path, and disappear in the gloom. 

"Put Dick in the barn to sleep, " she called after Huldah. "He'll benice and comfortable there;" but Dick, wise dog, was already there, snugly curled up in the straw, and as happy as a dog could be. The hens, too, had settled down to sleep again in their house, andall was safe, so Huldah ran back again contentedly; and Martha Perrywelcomed her as gladly as though they were old friends, and when sheshut the door and bolted themselves in, it was with a sigh of reliefthat she had this little companion. 

A few minutes later the old woman was stretched out comfortably inher bed, and the child was rolled up snugly on the hard sofa, andsilence once more fell on cottage and garden, broken only by anoccasional sleepy cluck, cluck of the hens, as they moved on theirperches, or a whimper from Dick, as in his dreams he lived over againhis rout of the enemy. 

Huldah did not dream of thieves, or hens, or anything else. She just slept, and slept, a heavy, dreamless sleep, unconscious ofeverything. The hard sofa galled her poor, thin, aching body, theround hard pillow gave her a crick in the neck, but neither of themcould make themselves felt through the sleep which held her fast inmerciful unconsciousness. 

It was broad daylight, and the sun had been shining for a long timewhen at last she woke with a start, and sprang up, wondering whereshe was, and what had happened. Then by degrees recollection cameback to her, and she began to wonder what she could do. The oldclock in the corner pointed to seven, but there was no sound ofmovement in the house. Huldah was afraid to get up and move about, lest Mrs. Perry should suspect her of being at some wickedness; andshe was not sorry to lie still, for her limbs ached, and she feltvery, very tired, so she stretched herself out on her hard couch, andgave herself up to studying the little kitchen, and all that was init. 

It was very wonderful, she thought, and very lovely. There were somedark green wooden chairs, and an arm-chair, and a little round table, scrubbed to spotless whiteness. Above her head, on a window-ledgestood some geraniums in full bloom, and on a row of shelves let intothe wall stood a large Bible, with a crochet mat over it, and someother books, some vases and ornaments, and a box covered with shells. The only other things to see were the grandfather's clock in thecorner, some well-polished bright things on the mantel-piece, a pairof brass candlesticks, a couple of tea-caddies, and a pair ofsnuffers on a tray. 

There were some pictures on the wall, and an almanac. One pictureshowed two beautiful horses ploughing a field, a white horse and abrown one, the other was of the same two horses going slowly home, atthe end of the day's work. The sight of the white horse broughtCharlie to Huldah's mind, and filled her eyes with tears. 

"Oh, if only Charlie was here too!" she thought, "and if only helooked like that horse there!"

There was indeed all the difference in the world between thewell-fed, well-groomed horse in the picture, with his erect head, hisbright eyes and glossy coat, and poor old Charlie, with his bonesshowing distinctly through his rough, neglected coat, his droopinghead and sad eyes!

Huldah looked and looked again at the pictures; she thought they wereperfectly beautiful; but by-and-by she began to fidget a little. She was tired of lying quiet, and the silence and stillness worriedher. She slid off the sofa, and sat on the edge of it, wondering ifshe might move, if she might go and see Dick, or clean up the grateand light the fire. 

Presently there was a whine at the back door. Dick had come insearch of her. She stood up and quietly made a step or two towardsthe scullery and the back door, wondering if she would be taking agreat liberty to let him in. She did long to. And then, while shestood hesitating she heard a voice calling weakly down the stairs, "Little girl--Huldah, are you there?"

Huldah, greatly relieved, sprang to the foot of the stairs. She wasglad to have the silence broken at last. "Yes ma'am. It was onlyDick whining to come in. "

"Let him in, then come up to me, will you?"

Ordering Dick to stay below, Huldah mounted the stairs, full of awe. She had not been allowed up them before. She thought the littlewinding white staircase was wonderful, and oh, how clean it all was!

At the top was a landing about a yard square, and an open door. Through the doorway she saw an old-fashioned bed with pretty floweredfrills and curtains, and lying on the bed was Mrs. Perry. 

"Come in, child, " she said, feebly. "I've been calling to you forever so long, but I couldn't make you hear. I expect you were verytired, and slept heavy. "

"I've been awake for a good bit, " said Huldah, "but I didn't like tomove about till you come. I wish I'd heard you. Did you want me?"

"Yes, I'm feeling very bad. I think I must have got a chill lastnight, or else the fright upset me. "

"Oh, I _am_ sorry, " cried Huldah, with genuine feeling. Mrs. Perryreally did look very white and ill, and Huldah felt quite alarmed. "Can I get you something? What can I do? Shall I light the fire?"she asked, eagerly. 

"Yes, if you will, I'd be very much obliged. I'd like a cup of tea, as hot as I can drink it, and, " pointing to some flannel lying on thebed, "if you could make that very hot, and bring it up to me, I'd beglad. Perhaps heat'll ease the pain a bit. "

"I'll be as quick as I can, " said Huldah, eagerly, turning to hurrydownstairs. "Is there anything else?"

"Oh my, yes! there's the fowls; they'll be wanting their breakfast. It's all put ready for them in a pan in the scullery, if you'll giveit to them. Don't let them out into the garden. "

"I'll see to that, " said Huldah, cheerfully. 

"Then when they're out eating their food, go into the house, and seeif there's any eggs in the nests. "

"Yes, ma'am, and please may I borrow the loan of the bucket, to havea wash? I'm feeling all dusty and dirty. "

Mrs. Perry smiled, in spite of her pain. "Yes, of course. You'll find a basin and soap, and a rough towel in the scullery, too. I'm glad you reminded me. "

Huldah slipped down the stairs as blithe as a bird. This was keepinghouse in real earnest, and she loved it. She set to work to lightthe fire and tidy the stove first, then she went and fed the hens, and came back triumphantly, carrying three large eggs. When she hadshown these to Mrs. Perry, and discussed their size and beauty--andsurely there never had been such eggs found before--she went down andhad her wash, and oh, how she did enjoy it! She wished she had aclean frock or apron to put on, too. But when she remembered all shehad got, she felt ashamed of herself, for even thinking of wantinganything more. 

In the scullery was a sweeping-brush, and the sight of it tempted herto sweep up the kitchen. She opened the door wide, to let in thesunshine and fresh air and the sweet scent of flowers, and then shewent sweeping away, not only the doorstep, but the tiled path downthe garden to the gate. For the moment she had forgotten her fear ofbeing discovered. All here seemed so different, so safe andpeaceful, and far away from her old unhappy life. 

The sun was shining radiantly, drying up the dew on the flowers, andmaking the red-tiled path glow warmly; it seemed to fill the garden, the cottage, and all Huldah's world with cheerfulness. By the timeshe had finished sweeping, the kettle was singing, so Huldah got theteapot and warmed it. She even warmed the cup and saucer too, in heranxiety that Mrs. Perry should have her tea as hot as possible. Then she cut a slice of bread as neatly as she could and toasted it. 

Dick was lying out in the sun, gnawing at the remains of hisham-bone, as happy as a dog could be. Huldah glanced out at himevery now and then while she was toasting the bread, and tried torealise that they were the same two who only yesterday morning werethrashed so unmercifully--she, for giving Dick some bread and butter, and Dick for eating it, after which had followed that dreadful scenewhen her uncle Tom had kicked poor old helpless Charlie so cruelly, partly because the poor old horse moved slowly, but chiefly becausehe knew that it would hurt Huldah more than any beating or starvingof herself could. 

It hurt her so greatly that she felt she could not bear it anylonger, and then and there made up her mind to run away. Half ofCharlie's kicks and blows were given him, she knew, because they hurtand angered her. Perhaps, she thought, if she were gone life wouldbecome easier for him. So she went, --and that was only yesterday, and the only pang of feeling or remorse that she felt for what shehad done was the loss of Charlie. 

CHAPTER IV. 

MISS ROSE. 

"Do you think you could find your way to the vicarage?"

Huldah had given Mrs. Perry her breakfast, and taken her own, and nowhad gone up again to remove the cup and plate, and ask what more shecould do. She was longing to make herself useful, that she mightshow how grateful she was for all that had been done for her. 

"Yes, I'm sure I could, " she answered, readily. 

"Miss Rose said she'd come to me any time I wanted her, and I feel Iwant her now, but I don't know how to let her know, unless you willgo for me. "

"I'll go, " said Huldah, eagerly. "I'd like to. " Then, with suddenrecollection of her uncle and aunt, her heart sank. "I--I don'tsuppose I'd meet uncle that way, but--but there'd be the chance ofthat, any way I went, " she added, trying to be brave and sensible. 

Mrs. Perry looked anxious too. "I don't s'pose he could have got sofar by this time, even if he came this way. You see, he'd have tokeep to the road with the van, and you cut across country. "

"Oh, it's sure to be all right, " said Huldah, more bravely, determined not to be afraid. "I won't take Dick, though, if you'llkeep him, ma'am. If I did see them coming, I could hide behind ahedge or somewhere, but Dick, he's racing everywhere, and I'd neverbe able to hide him too. "

"Would they recognise him--so far from where they lost him?"

"Oh yes, ma'am, and he'd know them and Charlie, and he'd be sure torun up to speak to Charlie. "

"Very well; you leave Dick here with me. I'll be glad to have himfor company while you're gone; you'd better start before the day getsany hotter. Tell Miss Rose, that if she can spare the time, and itisn't very inconvenient I'd be very much obliged if she could come tosee me to-day. You'll remember, won't you?"

"Yes, ma'am, I'll tell her you'm bad in bed. "

"I wish, " began Mrs. Perry, then hesitated, her eyes glancing overthe shabby little maiden standing by her bedside. "I wish youweren't quite so--I wish you were a little tidier. "

Huldah flushed under her glance. "My face and hands is clean, " shesaid, shyly, "and I'll put the sweeping-brush over my hair--"

Mrs. Perry smiled, in spite of herself. "No, don't do that, child;take and use that one over there by the looking-glass; but 'twas yourfrock I was thinking about, and your apron is too ragged and dirty tosee a lady in. I don't suppose you could wear one of mine--it'd betoo long, wouldn't it?"

"I'm 'fraid it would, ma'am, but I'll try, if you like. "

"There's one there on the chair by the door; hold it up against you, and let me see how it looks. "

Huldah took the apron shyly, and held it round her waist. It hungfar below her frock, and reached the top of her foot, but it hid hershabby old frock, and certainly gave her a cleaner look. 

"P'raps if I tied it round under my arms it would look better, " shesuggested. She was very anxious to be a credit to her new friend, and she was even more anxious not to shock Miss Rose, at first sight, by her disreputable appearance. 

"Yes, that will do, " agreed Mrs. Perry, approvingly, and Huldah, quite unconscious of the funny figure she cut, started off in highspirits. 

"Go to the top of the lane till you reach the high road, then turn toyour right, and keep straight on till you come to the church and thevicarage. Go to the back door and knock gently, and ask to see MissRose. Do you understand?"

"Yes, ma'am. Can I do anything more for you before I go?"

"No, thank you. Keep in the shade as much as you can; it is going tobe dreadfully hot again, I b'lieve. "

In the lane, in spite of the shade, the heat was already stifling, the high hedges seemed to shut it in, and to keep out the air. Huldah, hurrying along over the rough ground, felt her face growingscarlet, and her breath coming quick. She was almost glad to get outon the high road, for though the glare of the sun was blinding, andthere was no shade, it was less stifling there; but it was not thediscomfort that she minded so much, her great desire was to look herbest when she had to face Miss Rose. So she walked on the grass bythe road-side, to keep her from getting dusty, and every now and thenher hands went up to her cheeks, to feel if they were very, very hot;and indeed, between nervousness, and the heat, her cheeks were very, very scarlet by the time she reached the vicarage, and had found theback door. 

Obedient to her orders, she knocked gently, so gently that for a timeno one heard her, and she was about to knock for the third time, whena lady came round from the front of the house and caught sight ofher. 

She was a young lady, tall and thin and pretty, with such shininggolden hair that it made Huldah wink to look at it gleaming in thesunshine. 

"Can't you make anyone hear? I expect cook is busy; you must knockmore loudly. " She smiled kindly as she spoke, and her eyes were sogentle and pretty that Huldah scarcely heard what she was saying, forlooking at them. "It must be Miss Rose herself, " she thought toherself. 

"Please, ma'am, I--I wanted to see Miss Rose, " she stammered out atlast. "Please, ma'am, are you--"

"I am Miss Rose Carew, yes. How did you know my name? You don'tlive anywhere hereabouts, do you?"

"No, miss. " Huldah was almost glad her cheeks were so hot already, for she felt herself blushing at this question. "No, ma'am, I--Idon't live anywhere. I'm come from Mrs. Perry, in Woodend Lane. She's ill in bed, and if it wouldn't be putting you out very much, please would you come and see her, miss? She'd be very much obliged, I was to say. "

Miss Carew's quick sympathy was aroused at once. 

"Mrs. Perry ill. Oh, I am so sorry! What has caused it, I wonder?I hope she hasn't been out in the hot sun. I warned her not to. "

"No, miss; 'twas last night that upset her, I think. Some fellowscame and tried to steal her fowls, and she was reg'larly frightenedshe was, and I reckon she caught cold standing at the door in hernightdress. "

"Some men came stealing her fowls! Oh, how wicked!" Miss Rose'scheeks flushed with indignation, and her soft eyes sparkled withanger. "Did they take them all?"

"No, miss, they didn't get any. Dick frightened the thieves off, just as they were going to open the door, and he bit their legs too. I'll be bound they're lame enough to-day!" and Huldah chuckled aloudat the thought, forgetting her shyness, and everything else but thethieves. 

Miss Carew gazed at her, frankly puzzled. Who was Dick? and who wasthis funny little maid with the brown skin, brown hair, golden browneyes, the shabby brown frock, and battered old hat?

"Are you a young relative of Mrs. Perry?" she asked, gently. 

Huldah blushed again, and the laughter died out of her eyes. "No, miss; I aint nobody's relative, I haven't got nobody but Dick. "

"Is Dick your brother?"

"No, miss, he's only a dog; but he's ever such a good dog, " eagerly. "He's so clever, there's nothing he can't do. He's at home with Mrs. Perry now, to keep her company while I'm gone, 'cause she's nervousafter last night. "

"I see, " said Miss Carew, thoughtfully. "I am very glad she has Dickto take care of her. Tell her I will come to see her this morning, will you? and wait a moment, I must give you something for Dick, as areward for his care last night. "

Miss Rose opened the door near which they had been standing, anddisclosed a large wide, slate-paved passage, with large, cool-lookingslate slabs on each side. After the glare and heat outside, theslates looked cool and restful to the eye. At the other end of thepassage a door stood open, and through it Huldah could see a bigbright kitchen, with a snowy table standing in the middle of the blueslate floor, and a window beyond, festooned with green creepers androses. 

"Dinah, I want something nice for a brave dog, " said Miss Rose. "Have you got a bone with something on it?"

Dinah produced a leg of mutton bone and some cold pudding. Huldah's eyes gleamed, as she thought of Dick's delight. Two bones in two days! He had never before known such a wonderfultime. Miss Rose added two large dog biscuits. "Those will come infor his supper, " she said. 

Huldah took the parcel with a joy she did not attempt to conceal. In her pleasure she lost her shyness. "Oh, miss!" she exclaimed, "I wish you could be there to see Dick when he knows the bone is forhim!"

"I wish I could, but don't keep him waiting, poor doggie!"

It was not until she put out her hand to take the parcel for Dickthat Huldah remembered the basket which she had brought with her tosell, and which she had been holding all this time. Now, though, when she did remember it, she could not bring herself to offer it forsale. Indeed, she longed to give it to pretty, kind Miss Rose. 

Miss Rose, though, settled the matter for her. "What a sweetlypretty basket!" she exclaimed. She had noticed it in Huldah's hands, and been attracted by its prettiness. "It is too dainty to put thatclumsy parcel into. Isn't it a new one?"

"Yes, miss; I--I made it, " stammered Huldah, shyly. 

"Did you really? What a clever little girl! Do you make them tosell?" She had begun to understand the situation. 

"Yes, miss; but I--I--"

"Will you make one for me? I should very much like to have one; I amalways needing baskets. What do they cost?"

"This size is--eighteenpence, " said Huldah, hesitatingly. It suddenly seemed to her that it was a great deal of money to askfor it. "You can have this one if you like, miss. It is new; I--Ibrought it out to--to sell, if I could. I do want to get some moneyto give to Mrs. Perry--she's been so good to Dick and me, and--and Ihadn't got anything to give her. " Then, mistaking the cause of MissCarew's thoughtful silence, she added, nervously, "But perhaps you'drather have a new one made on purpose for you, miss. This one isquite clean, but--"

"Yes, yes, I'd like to have this one; I'd rather have this one, child. I was only thinking. " Then, as she put the money for it intoHuldah's hand, she asked gently, "Will you tell me your story, dear, presently, when I come to see Mrs. Perry? I should so like to knowit. Then I shall be better able to understand, and perhaps I couldhelp, or do something. I must not keep you now, or Mrs. Perry maybegin to worry about you. "

"Yes, miss; I think I ought to go back now, and--and thank you, miss, very much. " Huldah was so excited she scarcely knew how to get herwords out. A great sense of relief and happiness filled her heart. If Miss Rose would help her, she felt sure she would be safe andhappy; and Dick too. 

She almost danced back over the sunny road, in spite of the scorchingsun. Her heart was lighter, she had eighteenpence in her hand togive to Mrs. Perry, and she had a feast for Dick. Life seemedbeautiful, and happy, and hopeful. Could it have been only yesterdaymorning that she was in that dreadful caravan, bruised, hungry, miserable, and desperate to escape? It seemed impossible!

Suddenly, around the bend of the road ahead of her, appeared the headand shoulders of a white horse, --and instantly all her world changed. Her heart almost stood still with fright; then, with a low cry ofdespair, she scrambled over the hedge and into a field on the otherside of it. "If I'd had Dick, I couldn't have done it!" she panted, as she scuttled along under the hedge, bending low, almost like ananimal. At the corner of the field she paused. "If I can get overthis hedge, I shall be in the lane, " she thought; but the sound ofwheels made her crouch low again; the horse was just passing. Fascinated, yet terrified, Huldah peeped through the hedge, and saw--a quiet old farm-horse drawing a hay-cart, and the driver soundasleep on the shafts! Oh, how her heart thrilled with relief at thesight! If she had known what prayer was, she would have offered up athanksgiving then. As it was, she scrambled out over the hedge andinto the lane in a somewhat sobered mood. The thought of what mighthave been, made her heart beat fast and her limbs tremble, and hernew life seemed more than ever beautiful. 

Miss Carew meanwhile had stood watching Huldah flitting like a littledark shadow along the road. "What an odd little brown thing she is!"she thought to herself, half-amused, half-sad. "I ain't nobody'srelative, I haven't got nobody but Dick! She seemed so cheerfulabout it, too, it makes one feel that she did not mind the want. I wonder--but I must go and hear more about the strange pair who seemto have dropped out of the clouds to act as good fairies to poorMartha Perry. "

When, about an hour later, Miss Carew reached the little cottage inWoodend Lane, she found Huldah washing the floor of the littlekitchen, Dick lying in the garden gnawing his bone, and Martha Perrylying in bed with eighteenpence on the table beside her, and a bunchof flowers in a jug. Huldah had taken off Mrs. Perry's apron, forthat was far too clean and precious to be worn for such work, whereasher old dress could not possibly be made shabbier. 

When she saw Miss Carew standing on the doorstep, she looked up witha bright smile of welcome. "Please to walk in, miss, " she said, shyly. She had hoped to have had the kitchen washed and made quiteneat before the visitor arrived, but nothing could lessen herpleasure at seeing Miss Rose. 

Without her white apron she looked browner than ever, and Miss Rosefelt as she looked at her a great desire to dress her in pretty, clean, dainty things, a blue, or pink, or green cotton frock, withbig white apron and white collar. She said nothing, though, but, stepping delicately over the clean floor, made her way up the stairsalone to visit the invalid. 

Huldah had washed the kitchen and the tiled path to the gate, andshaken the mats, and dusted the chairs and mantelpiece, and wassitting down to rest her hot and weary little body, before Miss Rosecame down again. When she heard the footsteps on the stairs shestarted up at once. 

"Huldah, you are a veritable little brownie, " said Miss Rose, "notonly in appearance, but in everything. "

Huldah smiled, but looked puzzled; then she put her hands up to hercheeks. "My hands is brown, " she laughed, "but my face feels likefire. "

"You should not work so hard while the heat is so great. In spite ofyour red cheeks, you are a real brownie. Do you know what a brownieis?"

"No, miss, " said Huldah, with a shake of her head. "I haven't everbeen anything but a gipsy--a basket-seller, I mean. "

"Well, basket-sellers can be brownies too, especially when they comein to help and protect poor, helpless old people, and sell theirbaskets to give the money to those who need it. Have you ever heardof fairies, Huldah?"

Huldah shook her head again, with a puzzled look in her eyes. "No, miss. "

"Well, fairies and piskies and brownies were supposed to be verylittle people who lived underground, or in flowers and shells, or inrocks and mines, by day, and only came out at night. Some of themonly danced and played and enjoyed themselves, but others, thepiskies and brownies, loved to come at night and help the sad and illand poor, and those who were good and kind. They would come whenfolks were asleep, and tidy their kitchen for them, or chop theirwood, and spin their flax. Sometimes, for the very poor, they wouldbake a batch of bread or cakes, and have all ready for them; and whenthe poor people came down in the morning, cold and weak and hungry, wondering how they would manage to get any food to eat, they wouldfind the kitchen clean, wood and coal to make a fire, and food in thelarder. Sometimes, too, there would be a piece of money at thebottom of a cup. Can't you imagine how people would bless and lovethose dear little industrious brownies?"

"Oh yes!" gasped Huldah, "and how I'd love to be able to do thingslike that!"

"I think you are one, dear, only you don't vanish by day, and youdon't work secretly. "

Huldah flushed with joy. Never in her sad, hard life had she felt sohappy. 

"I hope, though, that you are not like the little people in onerespect, --they were so very easily offended. Such a little thingwould rouse their anger, and when they were angry they did not mindhurting those who had offended them, or even injuring them verygreatly. "

"Oh!" cried Huldah, looking disappointed. 

"Now, little brownie, before I go I want you to trust me, and to bequite frank and open, and not be afraid, for I want to be yourfriend. I want you to tell me all about yourself and your past life, and where you came from, and why you and Dick are quite alone in theworld. Will you? I want to help you, and do what is best for bothof you, but until I know all I can do nothing. "

"You won't send us back to Uncle Tom, will you miss?" she cried, herface paling, her eyes wide with fear. "I'll tell you everything, --I--I want to, but if you send us back to Uncle Tom, he'll pretty nighbeat us to death, me and Dick, I know he will!" And at the merethought of it she broke down and sobbed so violently that it was longbefore Miss Rose could soothe her, or calm the trembling of thehalf-starved, bruised little body. 

She herself was shocked by the terror with which the mere thought ofreturning to her uncle and aunt filled the child; and her heart achedas she realised what she must have endured to bring her to such astate, for it was plain to see that Huldah was naturally a spirited, brave little creature. 

In her own mind, Miss Carew determined then and there that suchpersons were not fit guardians for any child, and never with herconsent should Huldah be sent back to be again at their mercy. Her life would be one of greater suffering even than before. She shuddered at the thought of the blows and abuse and hunger whichwould be her lot. The hunger for love and kindness, too, which, nowshe had had a glimpse of both, would be even greater than her hungerfor food, and even less likely to be gratified. No--oh no!--Huldahshould never face such a fate, as long as she could help her. She would seek the protection of the law first, she decided; but, inthe meantime, until the law was necessary, she herself would do herbest to make her life happy and useful and good. So much was due tothe child. 

Everyone whose life was happy, and full of love and peace andcomfort, owed some share of her blessings to those who had none, --andsurely here was one to whom a large share was owing. 

CHAPTER V. 

SURPRISES. 

The confession had been made, the story told, and, to her unspeakablejoy and relief, Huldah had not been sent to Uncle Tom or to theworkhouse. The latter fate she had dreaded even more than theformer, for if she had been sent to the workhouse she certainly wouldhave had to part with Dick; whereas, if she had gone back to thecaravan, she would have had both him and Charlie, and she wouldrather endure hunger and beatings than lose Dick. 

She had, though, escaped both fates, and life for the time seemed toHuldah almost too beautiful to be anything but a dream, for it hadbeen arranged that both she and Dick were to stay on for the presentwith Martha Perry in the cottage. Since the night of the attemptedrobbery Mrs. Perry had been very ailing and nervous. She could notbear Dick to leave the house, when once twilight began to fall, andshe would not have stayed there at all at night without him. She hadgrown to rely on the lanky yellow creature as though he had been aman. No harm, she felt, could come to her or her hens, as long asDick was about the house or garden. 

She needed company and help too, so Huldah was to stay on, to keepthe cottage tidy, and run the errands, and be at hand, in case Mrs. Perry was ill again. 

A tiny room, which was scarcely more than a cupboard or a 'lean-to'jutting out over the scullery, was transformed into a bedroom forHuldah. A little iron bed was sent down from the vicarage, andsheets and blankets, a chair, and even a little square looking-glassto hang on the wall. Huldah was in a perfect turmoil of gladexcitement. She thought her room perfectly beautiful, and from thelittle window she could look right over the back garden, and away toa great stretch of country beyond. 

"I don't know what to do for a chest of drawers for you, " said Mrs. Perry, thoughtfully; "you ought to have something to put your clothesin. " But Huldah pooh-poohed the idea. 

"Oh, I shan't want anything, " she said, cheerfully; "you see Ihaven't got any clothes. "

"Ah, but wait, " said Mrs. Perry, knowingly, then stopped abruptly, and said no more. Huldah did not understand. "If I can sell somebaskets, I'll be able to get an apron or two, " she said, gravely. "I'd like fine to have some, but I could keep them on my chair. "

Mrs. Perry smiled. "A box would be better. If I could get you anice big box, that would do for the time, wouldn't it?"

"Oh yes, that would do grand, " agreed Huldah, readily, "but don'tyou worry about it, ma'am. I've got to make my baskets first andsell them, and then I'll have the aprons to make; there won't be anyneed to worry till I've got them, " she added, in her old-fashionedthoughtful way. "Wouldn't it be lovely, ma'am, " she added, a momentlater, "to have a new frock, a whole real new one?" It took a momentfor such a possibility to even enter her head. "A blue one, " sheadded, revelling in it, now it had come, "and a blue hat, too!Oh my!" She looked at Mrs. Perry with clasped hands and eyes fullof rapture. "I've never had a new frock or hat, not in all my life. I suppose some people do?"

"Yes, some do, " agreed Mrs. Perry, gravely. Then a bright smilepassed over her face, and her eyes lighted up almost as eagerly asHuldah's had, a moment before. Miss Carew's pony-cart had comejingling down the lane, and had drawn up before the garden gate. 

Huldah sprang forward gladly to open the door, but Mrs. Perry was atit first. "I will go, " she said, hastily, "I understand Miss Rosewants me. "

Huldah, puzzled and disappointed, did not move another step. Through the open door she saw the dear fat pony, and longed to pathim; she saw Miss Rose smiling and talking, and longed to be there toreceive one of her smiles. She saw her too lifting boxes and bundlesout of the pony-cart, and piling them in Mrs. Perry's arms. 

"Why can't I go out and help?" she asked herself. Everyone was outthere, even Dick, and she felt forlorn and left out. Then she sawMiss Carew fasten the pony to the railings by his strap, and, pickingup the last of the boxes, follow Mrs. Perry up the garden. 

"Good morning, brownie, " she said, brightly, and her voice and smiledrove the "left out" feeling from Huldah's heart in a moment. 

"I am trying to pretend to be a good fairy to-day, but I am too bigand clumsy for the part. "

Huldah gazed wonderingly, not understanding. 

"I wanted you to have some new clothes, brownie, so I waved mywand, --and here they are. "

"New--clothes!" gasped Huldah, "for me!" She looked round, andcaught sight of Mrs. Perry's face, wreathed in glad smiles. "But I never have any, miss, I was telling Mrs. Perry so as you droveup. Old ones is plenty good enough for me. I should be afraid towear new ones, for fear of spoiling them. "

"Then you must learn to, little brownie. Oh, you have lots to learnyet. There's only one thing I am sorry for, you won't be a brownieany longer, nor yet a fairy dressed in green"; and with the same shewhisked the cover off the big box she had been carrying, and therelay neatly folded three little plain print frocks, one lavender, onepink, and one blue. 

Huldah cried aloud in sheer amazement. She had never seen anythingso pretty in her life. Underneath the frocks were some plain hollandaprons. Huldah began to fear it was all a beautiful dream, fromwhich she would awaken presently. 

"Open that other box, please, Mrs. Perry, " said Miss Rose, briskly;and in that one was a neat sun-hat, with a black ribbon bow on it, and beneath the hat were two little pink cotton petticoats, somecalico garments, some stockings and handkerchiefs. 

Huldah by that time was in such a state of excitement, she could nolonger exclaim, she could hardly breathe, and when the last of theparcels was opened, and disclosed a pair of good boots and a pair ofslippers, the tears which had gradually been welling up in her eyesfell over, and with a sob she threw her arms round Mrs. Perry andburied her face on her breast. 

"Oh, it's too much, it's too much, I can't take it all! I can't doanything for anybody, and I can't pay for nothing. I haven't got anymoney, and you mustn't give me such a lot--"

"Huldah, dear, " said Miss Rose, softly, laying a gentle hand on thelittle girl's shaking shoulders, "You have what is better than money. You have a kind, willing heart, and a wise little head, and these areof more value than money, for no money can buy them, but you havegiven them both to us all this time, asking no return. And you know, dear, brownies are always repaid in this way. You can soon pay forthese things, by taking care of Mrs. Perry, doing all you can to helpher, and making her happy and comfortable. Then, with yourbasket-making you will be able to earn enough to clothe yourself inthe future, and perhaps help others as well. So don't cry, child, but turn round and smile, and let us see how nice you look in one ofyour new frocks. "

Huldah swung round eagerly, her cheeks flushed, her eyes sparklingwith happiness. "Oh yes, yes, so I can. I'll be able to helpby-and-by! Oh, Miss Rose, you are so kind to me, I don't hardlyknow what to say, it seems as if it can't be real, its all toobeautiful. "

"It isn't too beautiful, brownie. Life can be as beautiful as anydream, even more so. It all depends upon ourselves, and what we makeit for each other. "

"Oh, I will try to make it beautiful for those who are so good tome, " thought Huldah, with almost passionate determination, as shearrayed herself in some of her new clothes; and her heart beat fastand her spirits rose, as she dreamed beautiful dreams of her cominglife. 

All this had happened the day before, and now Huldah stood in thegarden in her blue print frock and holland apron, her hair wellbrushed and shining, her face full of sober gladness. On the linehung the old brown frock, which had been washed and spread out todry. 

"Life can be as beautiful as any dream, even more beautiful. It alldepends upon ourselves, and what we make of it for each other. "As she stood looking away from the garden to the quiet sunny stretchof country beyond, the words echoed and re-echoed through her brain, "What we make of it for each other. "

"Why, of course, " she thought to herself, "the world is just thesame, the sun and the breeze, the earth and the sky, just the same asthey were when I was living with Uncle Tom and Aunt Emma. 'Tis MissRose and Mrs. Perry who have made it all seem so beautiful. Just fancy two people making such a difference. I wish, oh, I wish Icould make something seem beautiful to somebody, just as they havefor me. "

The busy hens had ceased their scratching, to gaze wonderingly atthe little blue figure standing so still in the path near them. Dick sat in front of her, and stared up at her with perplexed, uneasyeyes. It was unlike his little mistress to be dressed as she was, and to be so quiet. A little whimper of distress broke from him, hecould bear the silence no longer. The sound roused Huldah from herreverie. "Why, Dick, what's the matter?" she cried, throwing her armround him, and kissing the top of his head. "Why, there's nothing tofret about now, it's all lovely. You and me have got a home, andwe've got work to do, and oh, Dick, we've got to do a lot, to make upfor all that's been done for us; and we'll do it, won't we, old man!We'll never mind what we do, as long as it's to help somebody. "

Dick wriggled and wagged his tail in joyful assent, and barkedloudly, to show how much he appreciated the arrangement. 

Mrs. Perry came to the door, looking down the garden, to see if theywere there. "Huldah, " she called, "Huldah! I want you to go into thevillage to get some tea; we have run out, and we want some sugar, too. "

Huldah turned and ran quickly into the house. She was quite ready togo, but in her heart of hearts she always shrank a little from goinginto the village; the people stared at her so, and asked all mannerof questions, which she found it difficult to answer. 

A little girl and a dog cannot arrive in a village as though they haddropped out of the sky, without, of course, people wanting to knowwho they are, and where they come from, and why they came, and withwhom they lived before, and with whom they are staying now, and howlong they are going to stay. 

Mrs. Perry had adopted Huldah as her niece, but a number of people inthe village did not really believe she was so, and, having verylittle to do or think about, they were anxious to find out, andHuldah, when she did go amongst them, found it very trying. 

Dick did not find it trying, though, he loved a walk, no matter inwhat direction it lay, and questions and curiosity did not troublehim at all. He looked wistfully from Huldah to Mrs. Perry, beggingwith his eyes that he might be allowed to go too. 

"Yes, take him, " said Mrs. Perry; "it is only three o'clock, andyou'll be back by four. I don't mind being alone in broad daylightlike this. " So Huldah, not a little pleased with her appearance inher pretty blue frock and new hat, started off, basket in hand, andDick, very proud and pleased, trotted off beside her. 

It was not until she drew near the village that she began to wonderwhat the people would think of the change in her appearance, and agreat shyness seized her, and reluctance to go on and meet theirlooks of surprise, and their open remarks. The feeling grew and grewwith every step she took, until she had begun to wonder if she couldever bring herself to face them, when suddenly her mind was liftedoff her fears by the extraordinary behaviour of Dick. 

Growling savagely, his hair rising stiffly along his back, he waswalking more and more slowly, and drawing in closer and closer toHuldah, as his habit was when he felt he must protect her. 

"Why, Dick, " she cried, puzzled and half-alarmed, "what is it oldman? whatever is the matter?" Then, her eyes following the directionof his, she saw, standing by a gate deep-set in the hedge, two youngmen. To her they seemed harmless enough, just two ordinary-lookingstrangers, and if it had not been for Dick's behaviour, she wouldhave passed them by without a thought. But evidently they were notharmless in Dick's eyes, for his growls and snarls grew louder andmore forbidding the nearer he approached. 

The men looked surprised and frightened, and, like most frightenedpeople, they lost their tempers. "Hold in your dog, can't you?"cried one. "You've no right to keep a brute like that. "

At the sound of the man's voice Huldah felt a shock of surprise, andDick's anger increased alarmingly. Where had she heard that voicebefore? She was sure it sounded familiar. 

Without replying, she laid her hand on Dick's collar, and held himclose to her. 

The other man grew more threatening. "I'll go to the p'lice, andtell 'em you've got a savage dog that ought to be shot, 'cause heisn't safe!" he shouted out, furious with anger and fear. 

"He isn't savage, he's good-tempered, " Huldah burst forth, at last. "He won't hurt anybody unless they was up to no good, and--anddeserved it. " She was very near the verge of tears, but she felt shemust not break down then. 

"Call him good-tempered, do you? We wasn't doing anything but juststanding here, and he come along ready to fly at our throats!"

Huldah could not deny the man's statement, nor could she explain. The men certainly seemed to be doing no harm, and Dick's behaviourwas very extraordinary. All she could do was to clutch his collarwith all her strength, and hurry away as fast as she could go. All thoughts of the village people's looks and remarks were gone fromher mind now. She was shaking with nervousness and excitement andfears for Dick, and could think of nothing else. 

How she did her errands she never knew, for the scare had drivenalmost everything else out of her head, her one idea being to hurryhome as quickly as possible, and get herself and Dick into safety. The men were strangers to her, and she hoped they would never findout where she and Dick lived. 

All the way back until she got past the gateway she still clutchedDick by the collar, much to his surprise and annoyance, for there wasmuch to interest him on a walk like that, and he had quite forgottenhis anger and the strangers who had aroused it. 

When they had got safely past the dreaded gateway, Huldah's fearscalmed down a little. 

The men had departed, and all the road ahead of them looked empty. 

"You may run now, Dickie, " she said, with a sigh of relief, "anddon't go getting into any more rows, for I can't bear it. "

Dick, with a joyous flick of his tail and a bark of delight, boundedforward delightedly, and Huldah, free at last to attend to otherthings, looked over her parcels anxiously, to see if she hadforgotten anything, for she had really only had half her wits abouther when she was in the shop. 

"Tea, sugar, box of matches--" A sharp yell made her look upquickly, her heart seeming to stand still with terror. It was Dick'svoice, and Dick was in the middle of the road rolling about andcrying out sharply, in evident pain. 

"Dick! Dick! Come here, what has happened? Oh, Dick!" she calledfrantically, as she flew to his side; but before she could reach hima big stone came whizzing from the hedge, and another sharp cry ofpain showed that poor Dick had been struck again. 

"Oh, Dick, Dick dear! what have they done to you?" she cried, dropping on her knees in the dust beside him. The dog tried tostruggle to his feet, but could not; every movement caused him toyelp with pain. He looked up at her imploringly, and licked herhand, as she put her arm under him to raise him, and the pain andhelplessness in his loving eyes made her tears overflow. What wasshe to do? He was too big and heavy for her to carry all the wayhome. She looked about her helplessly, but there was no one insight, or likely to be at that time of the day; only those twocowards hiding behind the hedge; for it had not taken Huldah long toguess who Dick's assailants were. 

From time to time Dick gave a little whimper, and Huldah lifted hishead upon her lap; but she was almost afraid to touch him, lest sheshould cause him more pain. How long, she wondered miserably, wouldit be before help came? Would those cowards throw more stones?It was horrible to stay there alone with that cowardly heartless pairhidden behind the hedge, and the feeling that at any moment morestones might be hurled at Dick. To protect him she placed herselfbetween him and the hedge. 

At last, at long last, when she had begun to wonder anxiously ifnight would fall and still find her there; and to think howfrightened Mrs. Perry must be getting already, the sound of wheelsstruck on her ears, and it seemed to her the most welcome sound shehad ever heard in her life. 

The cowards heard it too, apparently, for "Come on, Bill, " called alow voice, in the direction of the hedge. Huldah gave a great startof surprise. Where had she heard that voice and those very wordsbefore? Why, of course, it was all plain now. That first night atthe cottage, the barn, the fowl-robbers!--it all came back to herwith a rush. No wonder Dick had been angry when he saw them again, --and she, in her stupidity, had blamed him for showing temper. Dear clever, wise, brave Dick! He, too, recognised the voice now, and growled again with all his former spirit. Huldah's indignationrose beyond control. "Oh, you cowards!" she called out in a shrillangry voice, "I know you now. You came robbing a hen-roost, and thedog drove you off. You ran away from him, but he bit your legs. No wonder he growled when he saw you again. He knew what you were. I wish now I hadn't held him in. I wish I'd let him go at you, thenp'raps it would have been you lying in the road howling, not him. Oh, you thieves and cowards!"

Her voice rang out clear and loud, but how much the men heard no onewill ever know. Probably they did not stay to hear much, for thelast thing they wanted was to meet people, or to run any risk ofbeing seen. 

The wheels drew nearer, then the vicarage pony-carriage came roundthe bend. For one moment Miss Carew stared bewildered at the groupin the middle of the road, the little blue-clad girl, the yellow dog, and the basket of groceries all on the ground in the dust together;then she saw that something was wrong, and sprang out quickly totheir assistance. 

"Why, brownie! What has happened?" she cried, alarmed. "Dick, oh, poor old doggie, whatever have you been doing?"

Well she might ask, for poor Dick was covered with dust. He had alump on his head, and a cut on his shoulder, and he could not helpwhining, as he made another effort to rise to greet her. 

Then, amidst sobs and tears Huldah told her story, and Dick meanwhilelooked up at her, a little protecting whimper escaping him from timeto time. Now that the strain was over, and relief had come, Huldahbroke down completely for a time. She was trembling in every limb, and was white to the lips. Miss Rose saw that the best thing forthem both was to get them home as quickly as possible. 

Half lifting Huldah, she helped her into the carriage. Then she putDick in across her lap, and her basket at her feet, and finally gotin herself. 

"Now then, " she said, cheeringly, "we shall soon be home, and Dickshall have his bruises bathed and his poor leg bound up. Don't cryany more, brownie, or you will frighten Mrs. Perry, and we mustn't dothat on any account, must we? Dick is going to be very brave--healways is--and you are going to be as plucky as Dick. See there, heis better already, " as the invalid gave a bark of excitement, at thesight of some sparrows in the road. 

Huldah smiled, then laughed. If Dick was all right, nothing elseseemed to matter. Dick turned his head and smiled up at her, toassure her he was better; and so, on the whole, it was quite acheerful little party which drew up a few moments later before Mrs. Perry's gate. 

CHAPTER VI. 

HULDAH GOES SHOPPING. 

Though she made light of it to Mrs. Perry, the fright she hadreceived kept Huldah in a very nervous state for many a day to come. She lived always in a constant dread of some harm coming to poorDick, and she was never really easy if he was out of her sight. By day, her eyes were here, there, and everywhere, fearful thatsomewhere those two dreaded figures might be lurking about, waitingto attack or steal her Dick; and at night she lay awake hour afterhour, thinking she heard sounds in the house or the garden. Half-a-dozen times she would get out of her bed, shaking withnervousness, yet unable to lie still, and peer out, to see if theyreally were getting over the garden wall or not, and always shelonged for the night to be over. She felt safer when she was up andabout, with Dick under her eye. 

Miss Carew grew quite troubled about her--about them both, in fact, for Huldah's nervousness, though she tried to keep it to herself, could scarcely be concealed from Mrs. Perry. 

Something must be done to distract the child's mind, she felt, --butwhat? And then, as though to solve the difficulty for her, came anorder for half a dozen of Huldah's pretty baskets. 

No other cure she could have found would have been half so good. Huldah's spirits went up to a pitch of delight such as she had neverknown before. She was full of gratitude and of eagerness to begin, and if Miss Rose had not been able to drive her in to Belmouth thatvery day to buy the raffia, there was, as Miss Rose said, no knowingwhat might have happened. 

Huldah liked the work, and she had done so little lately that thethought of going back to it was a pleasure in itself, but best of allwas the thought of what she would do with the money when she got it. That thought kept her in one thrill of joy. 

She was to have eighteenpence each for the baskets. Nine wholeshillings! It seemed to Huldah a perfect fortune, and she wouldspend the whole of it on Mrs. Perry. She would get her in a store ofcoal, in readiness for the winter; then they would be able to havegood fires, and not have to be counting the cost all the time. 

That was the first decision. After a time, though, that seemedrather an uninteresting purchase. All her money would be gone atonce, and almost before she had realised that she had got it. She next decided to get a large piece of bacon, two sacks of coal, and a sack of corn for the fowls; but this plan was changed again forothers. Every day Huldah thought out some new and delightfulpurchases, and what she would have bought finally nobody knows, forMiss Rose and Mrs. Perry put an end to all her schemes, by insistingthat the money was to be spent on herself. She was to buy a newwinter coat for herself, they decided, and Huldah had to give in. She was bitterly disappointed at first; it had never entered her headto spend her money on anyone but Mrs. Perry, it was for her only thatshe had wanted it. 

Autumn was well advanced now, the mornings and nights were cold, andthe days not really hot, and Huldah soon began to realise that shedid need a warm garment of some sort, for she had only her thin printfrocks, and a little shoulder shawl that Mrs. Perry had given her. 

So, as soon as she had got her nine shillings in her pocket, MissRose came with the pony-cart and drove her in to Belmouth to huntthrough the shops in search of a coat or a cloak which would not costmore than nine shillings, and at the same time be neat and warm, and--at least, so Huldah hoped, --pretty. 

Such a day as that was to Huldah! Such a day as had never come intoher life before. First of all there was the drive, four whole mileswith Miss Rose in her dear little pony-carriage, and actually wearingone of Miss Rose's old golf cloaks wrapped snugly round her. The sunshone and the birds sang, and the air was exhilarating with the firsttouch of frost; the trees glowed warmly in their autumn dress, andthe hedges too. 

Huldah was speechless with excitement, when, after leaving Rob, thepony, at a livery-stable, she followed Miss Carew into the bigdraper's shop where the purchase was to be made. She was halffrightened too, the place was so large, and there were so many peoplethere, who seemed to have nothing to do but stare about them. It was quite an ordeal to walk behind the shop-walker between thelong lines of counters with so many people looking over them at her. She kept very close indeed to Miss Rose, and tried to believe that itwas at Miss Rose they were staring, and not at herself. 

Then at last they came to the jacket department, and before she knewwhat she was doing a very tall young woman was standing beside herwith a bright scarlet coat in her hands, and actually holding it outfor Huldah to try on. 

"Oh, that will not do, " interposed Miss Rose, sharply. She was sorrythat Huldah should have seen it, it was so attractive, thoughunsuitable, and would probably make all the others seem dull andugly. But Huldah knew too that it was quite unsuitable for herpurpose. What she wanted was a serviceable garment for Sundays andweek-days, wet weather and fine; she would have loved though to haveit, and for years after, one of her ambitions was to have a brightred coat in the winter. 

Miss Rose strolled away with the girl, after that, to say a word toher in private, and to try to help her pick out something suitable;and very soon they came back again with black coats, blue coats, dark green and grey coats, and one after the other Huldah tried themon, and one after the other they were thrown aside as useless. The shoulders came to her elbows nearly, and the cuffs beyond herfinger-tips, while the collars refused to come anywhere near herneck! It was most disappointing. 

"She is very narrow, and thin for her height, " remarked the girl, apologetically, as one after the other the coats hung off Huldah'sshoulders like loose sacks. "I wonder if you wouldn't find a cloakmore satisfactory for her. Fit does not matter so much with a cloak. Now this one is a very good one; it cost fifteen shillings at first, but it is reduced very much, because it is a little out of fashion, and slightly shop-worn, " and she held up a warm brown cloak with bigbone buttons, and, oh! joy of joys in Huldah's eyes, a hood linedwith blue! "Hoods aren't being worn now, " she went on; but Huldahheard no more. 

"Not worn! Out of fashion!" All her life Huldah had longed for acloak with a hood! In a rapture she felt the cloak being placed onher shoulders, and saw the girl button the big horn buttons, and in atumult of shy delight she looked over herself, and then up at MissCarew. 

"That fits her very well, " said the girl, in a tone of relief. 

Miss Rose read Huldah's eager face, and almost nervously enquired theprice. It would be such a blow if it should be beyond them. 

"It is reduced to eight shillings, madam, " said the girl, who wasalmost as anxious to sell as they were to buy. "It is good cloth, areal bargain. "

"Then we must have it, mustn't we, brownie?" cried Miss Rose, promptly. "It may not be as warm as a coat, but it certainly fitsher and suits her. Why, we have turned you into a brownie again, Huldah! Are you pleased with your purchase?"

"Oh yes, miss! I think it is lovely, I like it better than any!"gasped Huldah, excitedly. She could scarcely believe yet that shewas not in a dream, or that it could really be she, Huldah Bate, towhom all this was happening. 

The young attendant stooped to unbutton the cloak, to take it awayand wrap it in a parcel, but Miss Carew stopped her. "I think shemay as well wear it home, " she said. "It is cold, and it will be theeasiest way of carrying it. "

"Yes, madam. I will give you the bill. "

When the stranger's back was turned, Huldah found her tongue. "Oh, Miss Rose, isn't it lovely! It's so warm, I can feel italready, and--and oh, I can't believe it is mine!"

"I am glad you like it, dear. Now get out your purse, and pay thebill. "

That was indeed a proud moment! From the depth of her pocket, andfrom beneath the wonderful cloak, Huldah produced a small, rathershabby purse, an old one of Miss Carew's, and from its pockets sheproduced all her worldly wealth. Her fingers trembled so, she couldscarcely separate the coins, but at last it was all managed; and, still in a maze of delight, she found herself walking out of the shopbehind Miss Carew, clutching her thin little purse, in which reposedone solitary shilling, and proudly wearing her own purchase. 

To have walked out in it between that double fire of staring eyes, would have been an ordeal she could scarcely have endured, if it hadnot been that her thoughts were more occupied with her shilling thanwith herself, for with it she was going to buy something to take hometo Mrs. Perry, and what that something was to be was a matter forgrave consideration. 

However, with Miss Rose's help, the money was at last laid out onsome tea and some biscuits, and, greatest treat of all, a smokedhaddock, to make a feast for the tea which was to crown the end ofthat glorious afternoon. 

The tea and the fish and some of the biscuits were for Mrs. Perry, and some of the biscuits were for Dick, as his share of therejoicing, but for Miss Rose Huldah had nothing, and that was the onecloud on that happy, wonderful day. It was rather a big cloud, too, for she did long to do something for her, to show how grateful shewas, and the thought of it kept her very quiet and grave for a partof the drive home. 

"Are you tired, brownie?" asked Miss Rose, presently, noticing hersilence. 

Huldah looked up with grateful, happy eyes. "Oh no, miss. I am toohappy to be tired! and it's lovely to feel the warmth of my cloakcoming in to my shoulders. I think it is so beautiful. Do you likeit, miss?"

"Very much indeed, and I like to have our brownie in brown again; itseems just right!"

Huldah laughed happily. "I wish"--she began, then stopped, as asudden idea flashed on her mind. Why, of course, she could be a realbrownie, and by getting up very early she could, without anyone'sknowing anything about it, make one of her prettiest and nicestbaskets for Miss Rose! Her spirits went up, and up with pleasure atthe thought all her gravity left her, and when at last they drew upbefore the cottage in Woodend Lane, her face was one big radiantsmile. Mrs. Perry was at the door as soon as they had reached thegate. 

"Oh my!" she exclaimed, throwing up her hands with pleasure andsurprise at the sight of Huldah walking up the path actually wearingher new purchase. "Oh my, how nice we do look! Now, I do call thatjust perfect!"

The child's face was glowing with health and happiness, her eyes werebeaming with affection, and eager for sympathy. Could she possiblybe the little ill-used, runaway waif who had come to her doorstarving, only so short a time ago? Mrs. Perry asked herself thequestion as she looked at her, and in her heart thanked God forsending her this blessing, this chance to help another; and forstaying her tongue when she had felt tempted to bid her begone. 

Across her mind too flashed the thought of what might have happenedto Huldah, if she had turned her away that night. Would it have beento the workhouse, or the jail she would have drifted, --this bonnie, healthy, smiling child? But her mind was drawn back to healthierthoughts by Huldah's little brown work-worn hands. 

"Don't you like it, ma'am?" she was asking, troubled by the gravityon Mrs. Perry's face. 

"Like it!" she cried, coming back to the present with glad relief. "I should think I did, and you in it, too, dear!" and for the firsttime in her life she stooped and kissed the little maiden, and Huldahreturned the kiss with all the warmth of her affectionate heartwelling up to her lips. 

It was the first time anyone had kissed her since her mother died, and the first time that she had kissed anyone but Dick and Charlie. 

CHAPTER VII. 

A MEETING AND AN ALARM. 

Autumn had come now; late autumn with winter not so very far off, and the days were growing very short and dark; so short and darkthat there was no chance of working early in the morning beforeshe went downstairs, nor after she went to bed at night, exceptby candlelight, and she could not, of course, burn candles. So Mrs. Perry had to be taken into the secret, and Huldah worked incomfort by the fire in the afternoons, after she had done herhousework. 

And how she did love those cosy afternoons, and how the memory ofthem lived with her all her life after! The wind and rain stormingoutside, the snug little kitchen, where they sat so cosy and warm, Dick lying contentedly on his rug, Mrs. Perry sitting in her armchairby the fire, reading aloud from one of her few but precious books. They were old, those stories, but to Huldah they were more beautifulthan any she ever came across later on. 

Then came the glad day when the basket was completed. Huldah hadtaken more pains with it than with any she had ever made, and hercare was rewarded, for a prettier, daintier basket no one could wishto possess. As soon as it was finished there arose the greatquestion of how, and when, and where the gift should be made. 

"I want it to seem as if it comes from a brownie, " Huldah insisted, eagerly. "I couldn't make it at night, as the brownies would havedone, but couldn't I leave it, as they left their gifts, just whereit is sure to be found? It would be much nicer, wouldn't it?Miss Rose would laugh, and be so pleased. I am sure she would liketo have it that way. "

At last, after a great deal of thought, and a great many plans hadbeen made and set aside as not quite suitable, it was decided thatHuldah should get up early in the morning and walk to the vicarage, then creeping softly into the stable, she would tie the parcel on toRob's back, or to his manger, where he could not reach it. Miss Carew always went out early, to feed her hens, and to take Robsome bread and sugar, so she would be sure to see it. 

Another plan was for Huldah to creep into Miss Rose's sitting-roomwhen the maid's back was turned, and leave the parcel on the table;but they did not like this plan very well, for one thing, Huldahdid not like creeping stealthily in and out of the house, andfor another, Miss Rose might not find the basket for hours. She was always so busy about the garden and Rob and the hen-housesthat she might not go to her room till quite late in the day. 

No; Rob, they decided, must be the medium, and Huldah thrilled withexcitement. 

When she went to bed that night, she was so full of fears that shewould not wake in good time in the morning that she tried to keepawake all night. But, after a while the time seemed so long, thenight so endless, and the morning so far off, she longed to be ableto go to sleep, to bring it nearer more quickly, and while she waswondering if the kitchen clock had really struck ten, or was itreally six, and time to get up, she fell asleep, and the next thingshe was conscious of was Mrs. Perry calling her, and the old clock inthe kitchen striking six as hard as it could strike. 

"You dress and get ready, and I will light the fire, " she said; andwhen Huldah presently went downstairs, the kitchen was bright withlamp and firelight, the kettle was singing gaily, and Mrs. Perry wasalready warming the tea-pot. 

By the time they had had their tea and Huldah was ready to start, itwas already growing light out of doors. The night had been cold, andthere was a thin layer of ice on the puddles in the road, and anipping little wind made Huldah glad to wrap her old shawl snuglyabout her, --the shawl which Mrs. Perry had lent her, to save the newcloak. Dick bounded along delightedly; it was not often now that hehad a walk at that hour of the morning, and he rejoiced in every inchof it; though he was rather hurt when, on reaching the vicarage gate, Huldah took a piece of string from her pocket and fastened it to hiscollar. It was only his perfect trust in his mistress that enabledhim to bear such an indignity, and he followed her full of wonder asto what was to happen next. 

Keeping on the grass by the side of the drive, they made their waynoiselessly round to the courtyard and stables. No one was about outof doors, Huldah rejoiced to see, but guessed that Dinah was alreadyup and in the kitchen, for smoke was coming out of a chimney. 

With Dick keeping obediently close to her side, she timidly openedthe stable door and crept swiftly in. Rob knew her well enough bythis time, and only looked mildly surprised at her appearance. He had a horse-cloth over him, fastened round him by a girth, andwhile he scrunched up the sugar Huldah had brought him she securedher basket on his back by the girth, as fast as her nervous fingerscould manage it. "Miss Rose can't help seeing it there, " shethought, delightedly, "and Rob can't harm it before she comes. "She stood for a second gazing in sheer joy at her handiwork, thedainty basket and the big white label tied to it, with "From agrateful Brownie, " written in large letters on it. Then, fearful ofbeing discovered, she hurried quickly out, fastened the door behindher, and with Dick still close at her heels raced away as quietly asever she could, and never paused until she had reached the top ofWoodend Lane once more. 

Stephen Lea, the groom, had been ill, and was late that morning, andMiss Rose reached the stable first. Almost at once her eye wascaught by something unusual on the pony's back, but in the dim lightof the stable she could not make out what it was. 

"Why, Rob, " she exclaimed, laughing, "what have you been doing?Where have you been to pick up a load?" Then she searched his side, and made out what the load really was. "Oh, that dear child!" shecried, as she read the inscription written in a big round hand on asheet of paper, and her eyes grew misty, "From a grateful Brownie. ""Now when could she have brought that, and tied it there, I wonder. Rob, you bad boy, why don't you tell me all about it? You know youhave been gobbling down sugar this morning, greedy little creaturethat you are; but I should never have known it from you, if I hadn'tseen the crumbs. You are the best secret-keeper I know, but I dowish you could tell me about this, Rob dear. "

She looked at the pretty basket with eyes full of tenderness andadmiration. "Dear, kind little brownie!" she whispered softly. 

Later that day, Rob, still looking as though he did not know what asecret or a brownie was, trotted down Woodend Lane, and drew up as amatter of course before the cottage gate. Indeed, his feelings wouldhave been quite hurt if he had been told that he must not stop there, but must go further down the lane. 

Huldah heard his steps, and saw him arrive, watched Miss Rose getdown from the carriage and fasten Rob to the railings, --then, in asudden access of shyness, flew out of the back door and down to thevery bottom of the garden. 

There Miss Rose found her, a few minutes later. "Huldah, " she said, smiling, her pretty blue eyes full of pleasure, and gratitude, andaffection, "I found on Rob's back this morning, left there by thebrownies, a basket so pretty and so dainty that everyone who has seenit wants one like it. It was a brownie's basket, and as you are theonly one of them that I know who can do work like it, I have come tobring you the order. "

"Oh!" gasped Huldah, forgetting her shyness in her delight. 

"I am going to call them 'Brownie baskets, ' to distinguish them fromany others; but the reason shall be our secret, shall it not?Thank you very, very much little brownie, for your sweet gift, " andshe stooped down and kissed Huldah on the forehead. 

The child's eyes filled with tears, glad, grateful tears. "Oh, MissRose, " she exclaimed, "I am so happy, I don't know what to do; it isall too lovely. I am always afraid I shall wake up and find it adream. "

"It is no dream, brownie; so long as you go on trying to make othershappy you will find your own happiness is quite real. Happiness liesin helping others and bringing sunshine into their lives. You willhave some disappointments. It will seem as though some people do notwant to be made happy, others would not admit it if they were. Such people need a lot of patience shown them, but you must go ontrying. There is always something to be done for someone. You mustcome indoors, though, or you will be taking cold, and we cannotafford to have that happen. "

Huldah followed Miss Rose along the path, hardly conscious that herfeet touched the earth. Her heart was throbbing with joy, her eyeswere dancing. Dick followed his mistress, his tail waggingcontentedly, he knew by instinct why she was happy, and his sensestold him that she had been very happy ever since they started forthat beautiful walk that morning. 

"I am going to begin the work to-morrow morning, " Huldah said, eagerly, to Mrs. Perry that evening, as they sat over their supperbefore the fire. "I expect Miss Rose would like to have the basketssoon, and they will take a little while to make. "

Alas, though, when morning came, Huldah's eagerness received a sharpcheck. She had only the least little bit of raffia left, and to getmore she would have to go into Belmouth. 

"What a pity!" she cried, disappointedly; "it will take hours towalk there and back, and I meant to have done such a lot to-day!"She could have wept with vexation. Belmouth was four miles off, andone of the hilliest four miles imaginable. But it was not this thatdaunted her, it was the length of time that she would be kept fromher work. However, there was no good done by worrying over it, or bydelaying, so, as soon as she had done her housework, and dinner wasover and the dishes put away, she put on her new brown cloak, andwith Dick for company she started. 

They stepped out briskly, for the days were short now, and Mrs. Perrygrew anxious if they were long away, and nervous if she were leftalone when the light began to fade. They stepped along so brisklythat by half-past two they were in the town, and making their way tothe shop where Miss Rose had bought the raffia before. The purchasetook a little time, for the shopman had not enough out, and had tosend to the stock-room to get some. But, now that she was there, Huldah did not mind that. She loved watching the people coming inand making their purchases; it was all so lively and new andinteresting. The shopkeeper, who had seen her come there with MissCarew, and had heard about her basket-making, was nice and friendlytoo. He seemed to take quite an interest in her work, and promisedto get her some orders if he could, so that altogether Huldah cameout of that shop feeling extremely happy, and not in the least sorrythat she had had to come. 

"I feel almost too happy, " she was saying to herself, as she steppedout into the street, where the setting sun was flooding the placewith radiance, a dazzling, rosy radiance that shone right in Huldah'seyes, and blinded her to all about her. 

"It is all so lovely, " she added, "it seems as if it can't be true, as if I can't be really me"--a sudden sharp, excited barking on thepart of Dick made her turn quickly. She turned her back to the sun, and the dazzle went out of her eyes, and with it the sunshine fromher life, --or so it seemed to her, --for there, drawn up by theopposite pavement was her uncle's van, and old Charlie! and, asHuldah knew, the owners themselves would not be far off!

Dick had recognised Charlie--that was the meaning of his excitement, and therein lay the greatest danger, for he was barking and leapingabout the old horse in such delight that everyone's attention wasattracted, and it was only a question as to how soon he would attractUncle Tom's attention too. Huldah's own heart yearned to go over andspeak to the dear old horse, but her fears were stronger. She felthalf paralysed with terror, and for a moment her wits so forsook herthat she did not know what to do. Then inspiration came to her, andshe turned and hurried away as fast as her feet could carry her. She did not run, she was trembling too much for that, she dared notwhistle for Dick, for that would have called attention to them both. She could only walk away, and trust to his following her; but even asshe went she heard a dreaded voice shout out excitedly, "Why there'sour Dick! Dick, Dick, come here"--but at the sound of it Dick feltthe old fear in his heart leap to life, and with his old instinct tofly from his master, he dashed along the street as swiftly as hislong legs could carry him, and was very quickly out of sight. So swiftly did he race that he shot past Huldah without recognisingher, and her heart beat faster with thankfulness, for the furtheraway he got the better, and it was better for both of them that theyshould not be seen together. 

How she got over those four long miles home Huldah never knew. Her head swam, her legs trembled, indeed, her whole body shook withnervous dread, so that, in spite of her anxiety to get home quickly, she had to stand still many times, to quiet the beating of her heart, and get breath to go on again. 

Half a mile out of the town she found Dick, running wildly backwardsand forwards looking for her, and troubled and ashamed at having losther. She wished, though, that he had gone all the way home, for ifthey were followed and seen together she would be recognisedinstantly, and she would have no power of escape such as Dick hadhad. 

She took her hat off, and drew her hood over her head, but with Dickbeside her nothing would save her, she knew. So slowly had she comethat darkness was already beginning to fall. Seeing this, she triedto hurry on more quickly, and once within sight of their own lanerelief gave her strength to run. In the lane the twilight wasdeeper, and already Mrs. Perry, growing nervous, had lighted the lampin the kitchen. The warm glow streamed out on poor frightenedHuldah, and welcomed her. At the sound of her footsteps the housedoor flew open, and Mrs. Perry came out on the step to meet her; butinstead of her usual smile and greeting, Huldah fell exhausted intoher arms and burst into a passion of bitter sobs. 

CHAPTER VIII. 

TRACKED DOWN. 

"I tell you that there's my dog! He was stolen from me, and I'mgoing to 'ave the law of whoever's got 'im. "

Tom Smith went blustering back into the public-house, almostspeechless with anger. To have been so near Dick and then to havemissed him, was almost more than he could bear. If he had known hehad missed Huldah too, he would have been even more angry. 

"You can't have the law of people for taking in a stray, " remarkedone man, quietly. They none of them liked Tom Smith, and most ofthem wished he would go on his way and leave them to their quietgossip. 

"Perhaps he ran away, " suggested another, drily. 

Tom Smith glowered at him sullenly. "What should he run away for?"he asked, sharply. 

"Well, that's more'n I can say, " answered the man, calmly. "It seems to be his way, by the look of him just now. Dogs do itsometimes, when they think they'd like a change. "

"I know he didn't run away; he was stolen, and I'd give fiveshillings to know who'd got him, and where he lives. "

He did not mean what he said, and he never intended to part with fiveshillings, but he did want to find Dick, and he meant to do it, too. For once he was taken at his word. 

"Hand over your five bob. I can tell you where the dog lives. "The voice came from over by the window, and all eyes were turned inthat direction. A young man, a stranger to all there, was standingleaning eagerly towards Tom Smith, his hand held out. He had beensitting silent until this moment, but listening attentively to allthat was being said. 

Tom Smith turned towards him, looking very foolish; and, as usual, when he felt small he began to bluster. "Likely tale I'm going tohand over five shillings now! How do I know you knows anything aboutthe dog; what one I means, or where he lives, or anything at allabout him? Besides, I don't give the five bob unless I actually getshold of the dog. "

"I tell you I do know him; he's a yaller dog, a long-legged thingwith a short tail, and he goes about with a girl, and he's calledDick. I shouldn't have said I know'd him if I didn't. "

"A girl!" Tom Smith's cruel eyes lightened with eagerness. "Have you seen a girl with him? a kid about twelve-year old?When? Now? Are you sure? Why, 'twas she that stole him!"

"What should a child of that age want to steal a dog for?" asked oneof the other men. 

"Better ask her, if you want to know!" retorted the other, rudely. "I'll give 'ee another shilling if you can help me lay my hands onthe both of them. "

"Right you are, " agreed Bob, promptly, and without a single qualm ofconscience. "We'd better start; 'tis about four miles from here theylive, and it'll be dark soon. "

"Ugh!" Tom Smith looked vexed; he was a lazy man, and he did notrelish the prospect of a four miles' tramp. "I've got to wait for myold woman to come back, " he muttered. 

Emma Smith was going round the town with a big basket of tins andbrushes and things, trying to sell some, while he hung about thepublic-house, enjoying himself doing nothing. Her round was a longone, and few people seemed tempted to buy of such a slovenly, disagreeable-looking woman, one who grew rude too, if people did notwant any of her goods. 

So it was that Huldah had got safely home without being overtaken, and once within that cosy kitchen felt herself safe from all danger. She little dreamed that at that moment the three persons she fearedmost in the world were starting out from Belmouth in search of her. Poor Huldah!

It was six o'clock and quite dark by the time the trio, and Charlieand the van, reached Wood End; and many a time before they got thereBob Thorp would have thrown up the job, if he had not wanted themoney so badly. For the whole of the four miles Tom Smith grumbled, bullied his wife, beat Charlie, and snapped and snarled at everyoneand everything. 

"I don't wonder at anybody's running away from you, " remarked Bob atlast, losing all patience. "If I was your wife I'd do the same. "

Whereupon Tom snarled again with rage, "She'd better let me catch hertrying it on, that's all, " he said, threateningly, and glared at hiswife, as though she had threatened to do so. 

A little way beyond the village they drew up, and without troublingto ask anyone's leave Tom drove the van into a field, --where they hadno possible right to be, and poor tired Charlie and his tiredmistress were left to themselves for, at any rate, a few minutes'peace. 

The two men walked on again in silence until they reached the top ofWoodend Lane, There Bob Thorp drew up, and showed a decideddisinclination to go any further. 

"'Tis down there they live, the first cottage you come to; you can'tmistake it. There's only an old woman, I b'lieve, besides the girland the dog. I'd better keep away, 'cause they knows me, leastwaysthe girl does, and--and the dog. If you'll hand over that six bobnow, I'll be getting home. I've got a good step to go yet. "

Tom Smith agreed almost pleasantly. "Right you are, " he said, divinghis hand into an inside pocket, "and, thank 'ee, I'll manage therest, and I'd better manage it alone. I don't want to draw myfriends into any trouble over it, --leastways not those that have doneme a good turn. "

He fumbled for some time over the counting out of the money, but whenat last he had put it into Bob's hand, the latter turned abruptlyaway, and with only a brief 'good-night' plunged hurriedly down thedark lane. 

"Good-night, " said Bob, "and thank 'ee. Three florins isn't it?"But Tom Smith was out of sight, and Bob was glad to hurry away too, as fast as his legs could take him. He did not feel altogetherpleased, though he did try to cheer himself by chinking his money inhis pocket, and planning how he would spend it. All the way he wenthe seemed to see again Huldah's pained, sorrowful face, as she kneltin the road beside her dog, and tried to shelter him with her ownbody. How she must love the ugly yellow creature, and how he lovedher! and how they would feel it, if they were parted. What a lifethey'd lead, if they had to go back to the van and that ill-tempered, grumbling pair!

"I couldn't wish anybody any worse harm than to have to live withthat fellow, " he muttered to himself. "'Tis a poor look-out for 'em, poor toads!"

The thought of Huldah, and the desire not to be mixed up in theaffair, sent him home and to bed, to be out of the way. So he wentto sleep, and tried to forget what he had done, and his three florinsremained untouched in his pocket until morning. 

In the meantime Tom Smith had made his way stealthily down the laneuntil he reached the little cottage. At the gate he stopped, andpeering about him, listened for a time, while he tried to plan whathis first move should be. Should he be civil and friendly, or shouldhe just go in and frighten them all? As he stood there debating helooked like some mean beast of prey, waiting to spring on his victim. A cheerful light shone out of one of the little windows, and in thestillness of the night the sound of voices reached him. One herecognised at once as Huldah's. A savoury smell of cooking waswafted out to him, and roused him to greater anger. 

"That little hussy is a-selling of her baskets, I'll be bound, andshe and the old woman live on the fat of the land with the money thatthey bring. My baskets, I calls 'em. It's sheer thieving! A fineold yarn she'll have told, too, and a nice character she'll havegive'd me, ugh, the little--"

A ripple of laughter sounded through the silence. To him it seemedas though Huldah were mocking him. Hesitating no longer, he strodeup the path and knocked heavily on the door. Instantly the voicesand the laughter ceased. There was a spring at the door and a growl. Dick had scented the enemy! Then after a moment's pause a voiceasked timidly, "Who is there?"

Tom Smith heard the alarm in the voice, and rejoiced. It gave himthe greatest pleasure always to know that he inspired fear in anyone. 

"Open the door. It's me, Tom Smith, and I've come after that dog ofmine that you've stole!"

No answer came, nor was the door opened. 

"Open the door, I say, or I'll fetch the police for you! pack ofthieves that you are!"

The threat of the police would have made Huldah smile, if she had notbeen in such a state of terror for herself, and even more so forDick. She knew that her "uncle" would not go within a mile of apoliceman if he could help it. Indeed, she longed and prayed for apoliceman to come along then, that she might appeal to him forprotection. 

Unfortunately for them, though, not even a bolt stood between themand their enemy, and before Huldah could step forward to shoot it, orturn the key, the latch was raised, and Tom Smith was in the kitchen. With one well-aimed kick he sent Dick into the furthest corner, andwith equally sure aim he seized Huldah by the wrist. "Now, you comealong of me, and no nonsense, do you hear? A fine dance you've ledme and your poor aunt! You deserves a good hiding, both of 'ee, andI ain't sure but what you'll get it yet. "

"Let her alone, " gasped Mrs. Perry, "let her go--she isn't yours. You've no--right--to her. " Her face was grey white, her heart seemedto have stopped beating, and she could hardly speak. 

Tom Smith took no notice of her whatever, he was not going to wastetime in arguing--bullying was more in his line. "Now then, comealong. If you makes any noise, I'll turn the p'lice on the old ladythere, for harbouring thieves and receiving stolen property. Stop it now!" as Huldah wrenched herself away. "P'raps that'll teachyou, " and he caught her a heavy blow on the ear. 

Mrs. Perry screamed. "Don't hurt her--oh, don't do them any harm!"she pleaded. "Promise not--to beat them. " It seemed to herimpossible to resist him, they were helpless there, those two alone. Huldah and Dick must go. 

Huldah's heart sank with overwhelming sorrow. Was she really to begiven up? was she to leave her new home, her new happiness, her work, Mrs. Perry, Miss Rose, --all to go back to the old torture? Oh no, itcould not be. She could never bear it! Mrs. Perry spoke as if shewould have to; but what would she herself do there alone? She wouldbe almost frightened to death. 

Poor Huldah grew frantic. "I am not going. I can't go, and MissRose said you can't make me. I am not yours. Oh, Miss Rose, MissRose do come and save us!"

With a little whimper of pain Dick crawled out of his corner and cametowards her. He seemed to realise that his little mistress was indanger, and he meant to stand by her. 

"Shut up your noise!" shouted her "uncle, " and dealt her anothersharp blow on the side of the head. 

Mrs. Perry screamed, and fell fainting into the chair, and with thesame Tom Smith picked up Huldah in his arms and made for the door. 

The sound of footsteps and bitter cries died away in the lane, and adeep oppressive silence followed. The kettle sang and boiled andbubbled over, the supper burnt in the pan, the fire died down, andstill that senseless form lay huddled up in her chair, her white faceturned upwards to the ceiling, as though beseeching help. 

Minutes passed before any sign of life came back to her, and with ashuddering sigh she opened her eyes again. At first she was dazed, and her mind a blank, then the open door, the empty room, thestillness, brought all back to her in a sudden overwhelming rush ofsorrow. 

For a few moments she sat, weak, white, and trembling, trying tothink; then rising stumblingly to her feet she picked up her shawl, and wrapping it over her head and shoulders, she groped her way outof the house, down the garden, and out into the darkness of thenight. 

Stumbling, tottering, having to pause every few minutes, to rest hershaking limbs and gasp for breath, she made her way up the lane. She must find Miss Rose. Miss Rose must know, Miss Rose would helpthem! Oh it _must_ come right! She could not lose her child andDick. She could not live without them now!

Tears welled up, and poured down her ashy face, as she thought ofthose two, and what they might be enduring now. 

"Dear Father, protect them!" she prayed. "Dear Jesus, take care ofthem!" and all the way she went her pleadings beat at Heaven's gatefor the two poor waifs she so loved. "Dear Jesus, protect them, andbring them back to me. I love them so, and they are all I have. "

Her heart laboured so heavily she could scarcely breathe, her headthrobbed distractingly, her limbs shook so much under her that shecould scarcely drag herself along. Every now and then she fanciedshe heard a scream or Huldah's sobs; then again she thought she heardDick's bark, and each time she stopped and listened, and gazed intothe darkness, but presently the loneliness and darkness so oppressedher that she could not bring herself to stop again. All she could dowas to stumble onward until the vicarage was reached, and arrivedthere she sank down on the doorstep exhausted. The fright and thewalk, so long for her, had nearly killed her. 

Dinah came quickly to the door, in response to the frightened franticknock, and as she opened it Martha Perry fell in at her feet, faintand helpless. 

"My--Huldah"--she panted, "he's found her; he's taken her--away--andDick too! Help me--to--" then, as they raised her and carried herinto the kitchen, she lost consciousness entirely. 

When she opened her eyes again Miss Rose was standing beside her. "Huldah! where's my Huldah?" she cried, her poor eyes filling withtears. "What--can we do?"

Miss Rose's face was very white, but her eyes were brave and smiling. "It's all right, Martha, dear. She will be back with you to-morrow, I hope. We have sent to the police; they are to take the matter up, and see it through, and we have telegraphed to Belmouth, andWoodleigh, and Crinnock, to tell the police there to look out for theman, and stop him. "

Mrs. Perry moaned with disappointment, she could not help it, whenshe thought of poor Huldah, every moment going further and furtherfrom them all. Longing, hoping, expecting every moment that someonewould overtake them and save her, straining her ears to hear helpcoming, --and then, at last, in utter hopeless despair realising thatshe was left to herself, helpless, broken-hearted! She would notknow that it was only for one night, and that help was coming in themorning. 

Martha tried to smile back at Miss Rose, and to seem pleased, but hermisery was too great. Then an idea came to her, which brought herswiftly to her feet, with new hope in her heart. Perhaps, oh, perhaps, Huldah and Dick might manage again to escape! If they did, they would go to her, surely! Of course she should be at home toreceive them! She told Miss Rose, and though Miss Rose scarcelybelieved it possible, she thought it kinder to humour her, --besideswhich there was just the chance, --a chance which could not be missed. 

So the two went back to the cottage, where the lamplight still shoneout cheerfully through the open door. For a moment hope leaped intheir hearts, then a glance round the little kitchen assured themthat it was deserted still, and hope died down again. 

"Never mind; morning will soon be here, " said Miss Rose, hopefully, "and 'joy cometh with the morning. ' Now I am going to make up a goodfire, and I will read to you, and you must try, Martha, dear, tolisten, and not to think of anything else. "

She made Martha comfortable in the old armchair, with her feet upon astool, and a shawl about her knees, then she took down the well-wornBible, and began to read. Her sweet voice rose and fell evenly, soothingly; for more than an hour she read on, unwearied, neverfaltering, selecting all the most helpful and comforting passages shecould find; and by-and-by Martha Perry's face grew less drawn andanxious, her sad eyes grew tired, then the lids closed in a blessed, peaceful slumber, and Miss Rose's voice ceased, and silence fell onthe little cottage. 

The night sped on, the cold grew greater, the darkness deeper. Miss Rose sat quietly at the table, the open Bible before her, keeping watch over the sleeping woman and the fire, her ear alwaysalert for a sound outside. Her hearing grew so strained that overand over again she thought she heard footsteps coming, Huldah'squick, brisk step and Dick's pat-pat patter; again and again shetip-toed to the door, and opening it wide peered out into thedarkness. But no real sound broke the silence, save the hoot of anowl, and by-and-by the chirping of the waking birds. 

Then at last day dawned, and streaks of light appeared in the sky, turning presently to a glorious fiery radiance, as the sun rose, flooding the sky and all the world with brightness and with hope. 

Martha Perry stirred stiffly in her chair, and opened her eyes. "Oh, Miss Rose, I've been asleep, and left you keeping watch all byyourself! Oh, I am ashamed!"

"Not by myself, Martha. I had this, " laying her hand on the openBible, "and I felt God nearer me than ever in my life before, Ithink. He is going to help us, I know. I feel that He has given meHis word this night!"

"She has not come?" sighed Martha, glancing round the kitchen, asthough expecting to see Huldah hiding somewhere. "Oh, what a nightof misery she must have endured!"

"She has not come yet, but she is coming, and brownie is very brave, Martha, and patient and hopeful. She has the blessed gift of makingthe best of what can't be helped, and she has a wonderful faith. Look, Martha, look at the sky, does it not already sing to us'joy cometh with the morning'?"

Martha Perry walked to the door and looked out, and even her timid, doubting heart could not but feel calmed and comforted. 

"'God's in His heaven: All's right with the world, '" quoted MissRose, softly, as they stood there together. And already help was onits way to Huldah. 

CHAPTER IX. 

TO THE RESCUE. 

When Bob Thorp awoke that same morning about six o'clock, his firstthought was that he had six shillings in his pocket. Six shillingsgot without working for them, so that he had every right to look onthem as an extra, and spend them on himself. 

Having made up his mind on this point, he lay for a happy half-hour, thinking how he should lay it out to get most pleasure out of it. "Why, I know!" he almost exclaimed aloud, as a particularly pleasantidea struck him. "I'll go to the big football match at Crinnock. It's going to be a clipper, they say. Ain't I glad I thought of it!I shall have just enough to do it comfortably. "

The idea so excited him that he jumped out of bed then and there, and, banging at his poor mother's door, he bade her get up sharp, andlight the fire, and get the breakfast, because he had to be offearly. Then he dressed himself in the best he'd got, and presentedhimself in the kitchen. 

In answer to his mother's surprised looks and questionings, heexplained that he had to go away on business, in search of a job, andmust look his best; and his mother, rejoicing in the prospect of aday of freedom from him, cooked him the last egg she had, and gavehim as big a breakfast as he could eat; and he ate it heartily, without a qualm of conscience for his deception towards her. 

At the railway station he met quite a crowd, all going in the samedirection as himself; neither the darkness nor the cold could affecttheir energy or spirits, and Bob's spirits rose too, as he followedthe stream of travellers into the little gas-lit booking office forhis ticket. 

"Third return, Crinnock, " he said, loudly, tossing a shining newflorin on to the counter. 

At the sound of it the booking clerk half hesitated in stamping theticket he held in his hand, glanced sharply at the florin, andhurriedly picking it up, scanned it closely. 

"Bad 'un, " he said, shortly, handing it back to Bob. "Ninepence, please. " Then, seeing the look of blank dismay on Bob's face, headded, "Been had?"

Bob's cheeks were white, and his hand shaking, as he dived in hispocket for the other two florins, --the only money he possessed in theworld. He saw himself tricked, cheated out of a day's pleasure, madeto look small in everyone's eyes. 

He turned out the two other florins upon the counter, and at thefirst ring of them on the wood he knew the truth, and his passionblazed out fiercely against the man who had fooled him under cover ofthe darkness. 

"I'll have the law of him!" he stammered, almost speechless withanger. "I know where he is, or pretty near, and I'll set the p'liceon him, I will. Why--why--I might have been had up myself for tryingto pass bad money! Oh I'll make him sorry he ever tried his games onme, I will!"

Back through the waiting crowd Bob elbowed his way, in search of apoliceman. His disappointment about the football match was swallowedup in his longing for revenge. 

"Look here, bobby, " he said, going up to the constable who wasstanding on the platform to see the crowd off peacefully. "Look atthis!" thrusting the coins under his very nose. "Bad money, that'swhat 'tis, --passed off on me last night! But I know who done it, andwhere he is, --leastways where he was last night, and he can't havegot so very far. He's Tom Smith, the hawker, and he'd got his van ina field nigh 'pon the top of Woodend Lane last night--put it therewithout a with-your-leave or a by-your-leave! Trespassing, that'swhat he was, and that's another thing you can have him up for. He was there to kidnap a child and a dog what he said was his; butI'll bet they wasn't--and that's another thing against him. Of course he'd move on as soon as he'd got the kid, but he can't havegot so very far with that old horse of his--he looked as if he'd dropdead if he was made to go another mile. "

The policeman stayed to see the train depart with the crowd safelypacked inside it, then turned away with Bob. He was as anxious asBob himself to follow up the case. Policemen did not get much chancein little country places, and promotion came slowly. "What was hegiving you six shillings for?" he asked, as Bob and he trudged up thehill from the station. 

Bob looked foolish. "Oh--for--for showing him the way, " hestammered. 

The policeman looked at him sharply. "What way?" he asked. 

"To--to Woodend Lane, " he answered, shortly, wondering distractedlyhow he could avoid giving true explanations; but the policeman, tohis relief, did not press the matter further, and whatever histhoughts were, he kept them to himself. 

Presently he asked, casually, "Where was the child he wanted to gethold of? In Woodend Lane?"

"Yes--I mean I dunno. I don't know nothing about it. "

"I only asked, 'cause we've had word to keep a look-out for a man, probably with a caravan, who has stolen a child and a dog fromWood--"

"Why, look, what's that over there?" interrupted Bob, in suddenexcitement. 

"That over there" was a shabby brown caravan, hung about with tinsand brushes, standing beneath a high hedge in a corner of a distantfield. From the road beneath it, it would not be visible to anypasser-by, but looking across country as they were the glitter of thetins flashing in the rays of the morning sun caught the eye, anddiscovered the van in its hiding-place. 

"Here goes!" cried the policeman, excitedly. "A chap don't get achance like this every day. Come along, young fellow, and don't makea noise. "

Avoiding every possible risk of being observed approaching, BobThorp, led by the constable, made his way to the field where thecaravan stood. Tethered to the hedge close by was Charlie, andsecurely roped to the van lay poor Dick. 

"That's the dog, " whispered Bob Thorp, excitedly. 

Dick growled slightly at the faint sounds which now reached him, andmore violently when he recognised his old enemy. 

"Lie down, can't you?" bellowed a hoarse voice, roughly; and walkingcautiously round to the front of the van they found the very man theywere in search of lying on the ground rolled in a rug, with a coupleof sacks over him. At the sight of Bob Thorp and the policeman hesprang to his feet at once. 

"Anything you want, gentlemen? Anything I can sell you?" he asked, impudently. "A nice scrubbing-brush or--"

"'Tis you needs the scrubbing-brush, by the looks on you, " said Bob, cheekily. 

"And I want you, " said the constable, sharply. 

"Want me? What for?" he demanded, indignantly; but his face hadsuddenly turned an unhealthy gray colour, and in his eyes they couldplainly read his alarm. 

"Passing bad money, " answered the policeman, quietly. 

"Who says so? Who brought that charge against me?"

"'Im, " the policeman jerked his head and his thumb towards Bob. 

"And who's he, that his word should be took agin mine? Who's to sayhe hasn't been passing it himself, and--and of course he's got to putit off on someone, when he's found out. "

"Well, you can fight that out before the magistrates. You've got tocome along of me now. If you can explain it, that is all right, andyou will soon be back again. "

"All right, " said Tom, agreeing, because he saw the uselessness ofholding out. His brain was busy, though, trying to think out a plan. "I must just step inside, and break it to my wife--"

"Oh yes, and empty your pockets of all the rest of the bad moneyyou've got!" burst out Bob, unable to control himself. "Likely talethat, eh!"

The policeman stepped over and laid his hand on Tom Smith'sshoulder. "There's one or two other little matters too, " he said. "You're wanted for some little affair about a girl and a dog. Is that the dog?"

"She's my own niece--"

"Is she? All right; you've only got to prove it, and that you're herlawful guardian, and a fit and proper person--"

A sharp scream suddenly rent the air, and made them all start. Emma Smith, waking from her heavy sleep, had heard the sound ofvoices, and looking cautiously out of the window, had caught sight ofthe policeman grasping her husband by the arm. Day and night foryears she had been fearing this, and now it had actually happened!The shock was too much for her. Scream after scream pierced theirears, as she staggered out of the van and flung herself upon herhusband. 

The screams, which roused Dick to a fury of barking, and startledeven poor old worn-out Charlie, wakened Huldah from the deep sleepinto which she had fallen, exhausted by sorrow. 

Springing from her bed, she saw the policeman, and that he had hishand on her uncle, holding him securely, in spite of Aunt Emma'sattack. But why was Bob Thorp there, too? Huldah recognised himwith a shock of surprise and fear. 

For a moment she gazed frightened yet fascinated at the group, thenacross her mind flashed the thought, Here was her chance of escape!Quick as thought she caught up a knife from the table, and slippingdown the steps cut the rope which held Dick, then, sheltered fromview by the van itself, she clambered through the hedge with the dogat her heels, and away and away as fast as her feet could cover theground. Her aunt's screams deadened any other noise, and her aunt'sfurious attack took all the attention of the three men, so thatescape was easy. 

It never entered Huldah's head that the policeman had come on heraccount, and that she was safer now than ever in her life before. She did not know there had been time to communicate with the police, and the one thought that had filled her mind all these weary hourswas escape, and getting back to Mrs. Perry. 

At first she raced wildly, but before very long her strength gaveout, her excitement died down. Her pace grew slower and slower, moreand more halting, and then finally she stopped. Thoughts of her AuntEmma would force themselves on her mind. If her uncle was taken tojail, her aunt would be left alone with the horse and van. What would she do, day and night alone? How could she manage?Could she, Huldah, go and leave her like that!--but could she livethat dreadful life again! Every day going further and further fromMiss Rose and Mrs. Perry, and the dear little cottage, never perhapsto see them again! Huldah sat down on a bank underneath the hedge, to try and think the matter out. Dick came back from his happywanderings and sat beside her, staring at her with wistful eyes, forhe saw that she was in trouble, but why she should be was more thanhe could understand, --for were they not away together, and on theirway home?

He gave a little whine, and Huldah looked up at him. "Oh, Dick, whatcan I do? Mrs. Perry will be so frightened there alone, and she'llbe troubling about us so, and--and there's Miss Rose too"--more tearstrickled down Huldah's cheeks, --"yet I can't go and leave Aunt Emmaall alone now, with the van and Charlie to look after, and Uncle Tomin jail. Oh, what can I do? what can I do!"

Dick was puzzled too, but at that moment a fresh burst of screamsburst on her ears, terrible, noisy screams, and bitter cries andshoutings. Tom Smith was being led away by the constable, and hiswife had flung herself on the ground in hysterics, real or feigned. 

Huldah crept back to the hedge and peered through. Her heart washeavy as lead. Her body ached with the blows she had received thenight before, and her head throbbed painfully too, but these were asnothing compared with the pain of her poor little aching disappointedheart. On the other side of the hedge she saw her aunt lying on theground, sobbing, screaming, and beating the ground with her fists. 

Huldah crept back through the hedge, and up to her side. "Aunt Emma, don't take on like that, " she said, gently, trying to comfort her. "He'll be back soon. They won't do anything to him, for certain. "She little dreamed how black the case was against him. 

But the sight of the girl seemed to change her aunt's overwhelminggrief to sudden and violent anger against herself. Springing to herfeet, she snatched the heavy whip from the van, and brought it downwith all the force of which she was capable across Huldah'sshoulders. 

"It's all your fault!" she screamed, "it's all your fault! It wasonly to get hold of you that he offered the fellow the money, and ifyou hadn't run away he'd never have had to do it. 'Tis all yourfault he's took, and I'll make you smart for it, my lady!" andseizing the poor shrinking, frightened child, she beat her until herarm dropped to her side exhausted. 

"Stop that!" cried a stern voice, loudly. Huldah and her aunt fellback, shocked and startled by the sight of another policeman close tothem. In the noise and excitement they had not heard anyoneapproaching. "Give me that whip. "

Huldah gave one terrified glance at the man in blue, and fellfainting at his feet. 

Emma Smith handed over the whip meekly enough. She was thoroughlyscared now, for she never doubted that Huldah was dead, and that thepoliceman would declare that she had killed the child. In her terrorfor herself, her anxiety about her husband was forgotten. She beganto wail and sob and beg forgiveness. She threw herself on theground, calling loudly to Huldah to open her eyes and get up. She tried coaxings and all sorts of promises, but the policeman onlythrust her aside. 

"Go and get some cold water, " he said, sternly. 

She crept away meekly, and presently brought back a little drop in abroth basin. "That's all there is, " she said, apologetically. It was very little, but with it the big man bathed the child's faceand hands, and dabbed her lips and her brow. 

"Go and get a blanket, " he ordered. "She oughtn't to be lying on thecold wet ground so long. She doesn't seem to be coming round. "He felt Huldah's pulse, and laid his hand over her heart. "It _is_beating, " he muttered, in a tone of relief. Then he lifted her on tothe blanket, and wrapped her in it, then bathed her brow again, untilpresently a faint quiver of the body and a fluttering sigh showedthat consciousness was returning. 

At last Huldah opened her eyes and looked vaguely about her, wondering where she was. At sight of her aunt and the policeman theold look of terror came back to her face, and she struggled to situp. 

"Don't you hurry yourself, now, " said the policeman, kindly. "And don't you be afraid of me. I've come to look after you, andtake you back to your friends. "

"You can't, " muttered Emma Smith, sullenly. "She's mine. The child's right enough; they all want a hiding sometimes. "

"Sometimes, perhaps, but not constant; and never as you lays it on. I should be taking you up for murder if you did it often in yourway!"

Emma Smith only looked more sullen. "Well, she's mine, and no oneelse's, and I'm going to keep her. "

"Look here, my woman, what's the good of going on like that?You've got to prove, first of all, that she is yours, and then thatyou're a fit and proper person to have her. In the meantime I've gotmy orders to fetch her away, and if you want her you can apply to themagistrates, and prove to them all that you've been saying. Now, then, where's her bonnet and shawl?"

"She hasn't got any, " sulkily. 

"Then you've got to provide her with some. Hurry up; but first ofall, has she had anything to eat or drink to-day?"

"No, nor won't have. I haven't got anything for myself. "

"That seems unlucky; but if you'll come along of me you shall have agood cup of tea and a bit of breakfast. Now then, missie, are youready?"

Huldah had sat speechless all this time. She felt giddy and ill, andquite worn out. She was so dazed too, she could not think what todo, or what she ought to do. Things seemed to have got beyond her, and to be taken out of her hands. 

She struggled to her feet, and let the policeman wrap her, head andall, in the old shawl. She wondered vaguely if she would feel betterable to walk when once she had started; but even the standing on herfeet seemed too much for her, and it was with a real sense of reliefthat she felt the man lift her in his arms and stride away with her. 

No word of farewell was said, but in a moment or two she heard heraunt's rough voice calling after them, "You've no right to that dog, and if you takes him I'll have the law of you!"

The policeman stopped, and turned round. "Oh, by the way, I'veforgot one thing now. I want to see your dog-licence. "

But Emma Smith only walked away into the van muttering angrily, andbanging the door after her, left them to go their way in peace. 

Huldah scarcely knew how that walk passed. She was conscious now andthen of a feeling of shame, for letting herself be carried. She felt she ought to walk, but before she could say so the oldfaintness stole over her again, and she knew that to walk was beyondher power. Now and then she heard the policeman talking in afriendly voice to Dick, who walked close beside them, and Dick'sexcited bark. She was wondering how much further they had to go, when they drew up, and Huldah found herself being laid on a woodenbench in a room where two or three policemen were standing round afire. 

To her surprise, she was no longer afraid of them, they were too kindand gentle for that. One of those standing by the fire, an elderlyman, came over to where she lay. 

"Well, young woman, " he said, cheerfully, "and when did you haveanything to eat last? Day before yesterday, by the look of you. "

Huldah tried to remember. "It wasn't quite so long ago as that, " shesaid, feebly. "I had some dinner--yesterday, I think. When wasyesterday?"

The man laughed. "Don't you worry, " he said, kindly; "you've beenliving two days in one, and have got muddled. You will feel betterwhen you've had a basin of hot bread and milk. Bring her over to thefire, Harry, she's starved with the cold. "

"Harry, " her first friend, carried her over, and put her in a bigarmchair by the fire, and presently one of the others brought her abasin of hot bread and milk, and a plateful of food for Dick, andbefore Huldah had taken a half of it she was feeling altogether adifferent person. 

"I didn't feel hungry, but I s'pose I was, " she said, simply, lookingup with grateful, friendly eyes at the old policeman. "I feel everso much better now. "

"Ay, ay; we don't always know what we want, nor what is good forus, --but here's somebody as'll be good for you, unless I'm very muchmistaken!" and Huldah, following the direction of his eyes as theytravelled to the door, gave one long low cry of rapturous delight, for there walking in to the police station were Mrs. Perry and MissRose!

CHAPTER X. 

ONE SUMMER'S AFTERNOON. 

Huldah was home again, and Dick too, and more free and happy thanthey had ever been in their lives before, for, from Huldah, at anyrate, there was lifted the great dread of being traced by her uncleand taken back, a dread which had in the old days lain always like ashadow on her life. Now, the worst had happened, and was over, forthe law had declared that neither Tom Smith nor Emma, his wife hadthe slightest claim to her, not being related at all. Nor were theyfit and proper persons to have the charge of any child. And to hergreat delight she was handed over to the guardianship of the vicarand Miss Rose Carew, and to the care of Mrs. Perry, to be trained andbrought up to be an honest, truthful, industrious woman. 

Never to the end of her life would Huldah forget that home-coming, that drive back to Woodend Lane, or those days that followed. 

"Was it really only yesterday that I was here, and Dick and I walkedinto Belmouth?" she asked, incredulously, as she lay back in thecarriage. "It seems weeks and weeks ago! Oh, how lovely everythingis! It seems as if I didn't notice it enough till now;" and she drewin long breaths of the fresh cold air, and the mingled scents of wetearth and pine trees. "I seem to smell vi'lets, but they can't beout yet, can they, miss?"

Miss Carew laughed. "Lots of things have happened since yesterday, brownie; but even the brownies could not make the violets spring upand open in one night. "

"But God could, " thought Huldah to herself. 

After all that happened in the last twenty-four hours, she felt thatnothing was beyond His power, but she was too shy to say so aloud. A deep sense of love and gratitude for all the goodness shown to hermade her feel, a moment later, ashamed of her shyness. God had beenso good to her, how could she be so bad as to feel ashamed to speakof Him? She had prayed and prayed, and prayed to Him all that longnight through, and He had heard her, and sent her help. 

She had been frightened, and she had been made to suffer, but it wasonly that all might be made better for her presently. Young thoughshe was, she could see that if she had not had this trial to gothrough, she would always have had the old danger, the old fearhanging over her. She would never have felt quite safe and happy. 

Miss Rose had taught her about God, and His Son, the gentle, lovingChrist. She had taught her to pray to Him, and to read her Bible, and to sing hymns, but only now did He become real to Huldah, hervery only loving Father, and her heart swelled with love andgratitude to Him who had stood by her and taken care of her. She knew now, too, that He would take care of her all her lifethrough. 

"Oh, it's grand!" she thought to herself, "to have a big strongFather and a Brother to watch over one!" And she felt as though noone could harm her any more. 

Rob was walking in leisurely fashion up the hill now, and no soundbroke the silence but the twittering of the birds in the hedge, Rob'sshort, sharp steps on the hard road, and the scrunching of the gravelunder the wheels, when suddenly Miss Rose's voice sounded singingsoftly but sweetly, "Lead Kindly Light, amid the encircling gloom, Lead Thou me on; The night is dark, and I am far from home, Lead Thou me on. Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see The distant scene, --one step enough for me. "

Then Martha Perry's feeble voice joined in, and last of all Huldah'sshy, weak treble. They were all so grateful, so full of thankfulnessand faith, they could not help it. And ever after, when Huldahpassed along that road, the same lines sprang spontaneously to heartand lips, "One step enough for me. "

Winter ended soon, and spring came early that year. In the cottagegarden the wallflowers and daffodils had sprung up and burst intobloom before anyone had quite realised that their time had come. In the field opposite the hedges were so lined with primroses thatthe scent greeted you across the road. 

In those warm days, when school was over, and on half-holidays, Huldah took her work across to the field, and sat in the sunshinesurrounded by the gold-starred hedges, where the ferns and violetsand ladies' smocks fought for room, and mingled in one sweet tangleof beauty. She was very, very happy in those days, and busy frommorning till night. She had her house-work, her school-work, andalso her basket-making, and she worked very hard indeed at the last, for by means of it she was able to buy many little comforts for"Aunt Martha, " as she had learnt to call Mrs. Perry, and was able toclothe herself, and put something by in the bank. At least, shehoped to be able to go on doing that, if the orders came in as theyhad done. 

"When I leave school I shall have ever so much more time, too, " shethought, joyfully, --for Huldah did not love school, and longed forthe time when she would be freed from it. 

In the middle of the field rose a high hillock, over which the younglambs loved to run and play in the spring-time, and on the top of thehillock lay the trunk of a large tree, which had lain there eversince a storm had blown it down years ago. 

Huldah, at any rate, was glad of the idleness which had never put thetree to any good use, for it formed her favourite seat now. The viewfrom it was lovely, she could look right down over the slope of thehill to the woods and stream at the foot, and then away up over themoorland beyond, and she could see the road, too, and keep watch overthe cottage, and if Aunt Martha wanted her, she had only to step tothe door and wave her hand. 

Sometimes during that summer she got Mrs. Perry up to the fallen treetoo, and more than once they had their tea there. But Mrs. Perry wasnot very fond of sitting out of doors, and more often Huldah wasalone, save for Dick, alone with her thoughts and hopes and dreams. 

That summer was a long and hot one, with frequent heavythunderstorms. Mrs. Perry could not endure the storms, they made herfeel ill, and frightened her, until all her nerves were setquivering. Huldah herself felt no fear, but she did dread the stormsfor her aunt's sake, and there seemed no end to them that summer. 

"I do believe there's another coming up, " she sighed, as, suddenlynoticing that the light was going, she lifted her eyes from her workand looked about her. "I'd better go in now, in case it does comeon; but it is vexing. I did so want to finish this. "

It was the last day of August, and the close of the holidays, andHuldah had made up her mind to get the last of an order finished, andready to send away before she went back to school. She glanced downhesitatingly at her unfinished work, and then at the gatheringblackness of the sky around her, a blackness which had a red-brownangry glow underneath, --a glow which left no time for hesitation. 

There was no doubt about it, she must go, and go quickly, or AuntMartha would be worrying. She glanced across at the cottage, andthere sure enough was Mrs. Perry standing waving her hand to call herin. 

Huldah sprang to her feet at once. "Run on, Dick, and tell her I'mcoming. Run home, that's a good dog!"

Dick started, hesitated, but at a sign from his mistress ran onagain. Huldah collected her work and rolled it all up in herwork-apron, --one with big pockets, which Miss Rose had made forher, --but before she was ready a sharp bark from Dick made her wheelround quickly. A strange, shabbily dressed woman was standingtalking to Mrs. Perry. She had come so silently, so unexpectedlythat Huldah had quite a shock, it seemed almost as though she hadsprung up out of the ground. 

"Only someone begging, I suppose, " she said to herself, but there wasa vague feeling of trouble at her heart that she could not accountfor. The new-comer looked harmless enough, a poor, shabbily dressedbeggar-woman, thin, stooping, feeble-looking. 

When Mrs. Perry raised her head and looked up over the field again, Huldah saw that her face was white and frightened, and in suddenalarm she took to her heels, and ran as fast as she could to thegate. 

At the click of the latch the new-comer turned and looked across theroad, and as she looked Huldah felt her head reel, and her heartalmost stop beating, for the tramp was Aunt Emma! Aunt Emma, come tocross her path once more. Aunt Emma, shabbier and dirtier than ever, and with a pinched, starved look, which showed that things had notbeen going well with her. 

When she caught sight of Huldah, her face lightened a little, and shehurried across the road to meet her. 

"I've come to know if you can help me, " she began, in the same oldfretful, whining voice. "I know you don't want to see me again, nobody does, but I'm starving. I've been starving mostly ever sinceTom was took away--"

"Took away, " gasped Huldah faintly. "Where?"

"He's got three years. Didn't you know? And I'm left to keepmyself, and I can't do it. I'll never live till he comes out, Iknow. I've sold the van and everything. I couldn't go round with itby meself, but the man that had it off me cheated me something crool. When Tom knows he'll--he'll--oh he'll be mad with me--"

"And Charlie?" asked Huldah, anxiously. 

"Charlie! Oh, he's dead. He dropped down in the road one day. 'Twas lucky I'd sold him, wasn't it? He died only two days after. "

Tears sprang to Huldah's eyes. "Oh, Charlie, poor dear old Charlie!"she cried, "and--and I never said good-bye to him, or anything!"

"He's best off, " said Emma Smith, coldly. "I wouldn't have beensorry if I'd dropped down dead, too. "

Huldah gasped. 

"I can't get anything to do. I've tried to sell laces and buttons, and cotton, but nobody don't seem to want any, --leastways not of me, "and neither of her listeners wondered, when they looked at her, sodirty, so untidy, so forbidding in appearance. 

"I couldn't earn enough to get food or a bed, leave alone buy a newstock. "

Huldah wondered why she had come. Was it only to beg? In anothermoment she knew. 

"I came to see if you couldn't 'elp me a bit. You've got goodfriends and a comfortable home, and plenty to eat and drink. You surely wouldn't let me go starving--me that brought you up, anddid everything for you. "

"Everything!" Huldah's thoughts flew back over her life, from thetime her mother died until she made her escape, a year ago, andwondered what was meant by "everything. "

"I know as you can make a good bit by your baskets, and it don't seemfair that strangers should have it all, do it?"

"Strangers don't have it all, " said Huldah, warmly. "Even my bestfriends don't. I have what I earn, to buy what I like with. I buy my own clothes, and I give Mrs. Perry a little for keepingme--"

"Oh! a pretty fine thing that! Why, she ought to be paying you wagesfor being a little galley-slave to her, and doing all her work!"

"I don't!" cried Huldah, indignantly. "I don't work nearly as hardas I did for you, when I never had a penny of my own, not even fromwhat my baskets made. "

In a moment, though, she was sorry she had lost her temper. Mrs. Perry, standing at her door watching them, looked so frightenedwhen their words rose high, and Emma Smith herself looked so wearyand miserable one could not help pitying her. 

"I--I've got half-a-crown in my purse. I'll give you that, " saidHuldah, gently. "It's all I have now, but it will get you a bed andsome food. "

Mrs. Perry came towards them. "Huldah, " she said, kindly, "if your--if Mrs. Smith will come in and rest, I'll make her a cup of tea. She looks fit to drop. "

The poor tramp turned to her gratefully. "I feels like it too. I haven't tasted anything since yesterday, " she added, feebly; and, now that the eagerness and excitement had died out of her face, shelooked almost like a dying woman. 

They led the way into the cottage, and gave her the most comfortablechair. She dropped into it with almost a groan of relief, and then, as though the kindness overcame her, she began to weep weakly. "I couldn't help coming to Huldah, " she sobbed. "I couldn't keepaway. I haven't a friend or relation in the world but her, nornowhere to go, --but the workhouse, and I can't go there. I'd ratherdie under a hedge. I've always been so used to the open, and myfreedom, and I couldn't bear it. But I haven't got a penny, nor nomeans of getting one. Whatever I'm going to do I don't know. Tom's put away for three years, and I shan't ever live to see himcome out, I know, --but nobody cares! It don't matter to nobodywhether I'm alive or dead. "

The storm had broken by this time, and the crashing of the thunderseemed to add horror to the hopeless misery of her sobs andcomplainings. Huldah could scarcely bear it. 

"Aunt Emma, don't say such things, " she cried. "I care, I do really. You shan't starve, --not while I can work. I'll work harder, and helpyou. I'll ask Miss Rose about it. "

But the half-starved, miserable woman could not check her sobs, oncethey had begun. The hunger and want and loneliness had worn herhealth and spirit until a little kindness was more than she couldbear. She broke down entirely under it. 

Huldah sat with a very grave face all the time they were taking theirtea. Things had suddenly become so perplexing, she did not know whatto do or think. 

"Oh dear, " she sighed, "it all seemed so lovely only an hour ago. I thought it was going to last like it for ever and ever. "She was so lost in perplexity about Aunt Emma's future, that Mrs. Perry was left to entertain their guest, --to listen, at least, to thetale of her wanderings and sufferings, and the hardships she hadendured all her life. 

"I've never 'ad nobody to care for me, nor no kindness from anybody, so I haven't got to thank anybody for anything--that's one thing!"the poor foolish woman kept repeating, as though, instead of beingashamed of it, it was something to be proud of. 

"As we sow, we reap, " thought Aunt Martha; the truth of the words hadcome home to her many times, since she had taken in the twofriendless waifs. Dick and Huldah would have loved this woman too, if she had allowed them to. She grew a little impatient of the longcomplainings. "We don't get love back, if we don't give any, " shesaid at last. 

"Who'd I got? Who'd want me to love them?" she demanded, peevishly. 

"Why, the child, for one, and Dick, and that poor old horse, not tospeak of your husband. "

Emma Smith was silent. It had never before entered her head that tobe loved one must love, that the way to win it is to think of othersfirst, and self last. She ceased her complaining, as she realisedfor the first time that others besides herself had something tocomplain of. She had always been one of those who are so full ofpity for themselves that they never have time to feel pity forothers. 

By the time the meal was finished Huldah's mind was made up. She must talk to Miss Rose about things. The matter seemed sopuzzling, so complicated, she could not sort out the right and thewrong of it at all. It was all beyond her. Aunt Martha fell in withthe plan at once. 

"Mrs. Smith can stay here with me till you come back, " she said, hospitably; and the visitor agreed eagerly. 

The storm was over by that time, but the air was oppressive, and theheat great. Huldah walked along very soberly, for there was a senseof depression weighing on her, a foreboding that an end was coming toher happy, peaceful life. There was always trouble when any part ofher old life cropped up again. 

She was ashamed, too, to be troubling Miss Rose again about heraffairs; she felt she had done little but bring trouble to them allever since she had walked into their lives that summer's night a yearago. She who longed to bring them nothing but pleasure!

Just then she came to the top of the little hill up which Rob hadcrawled that winter morning, and once again the words Miss Rose hadsung came back to her, as though they still lingered on the airthere, "Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see The distant scene, --one step enough for me. "

Huldah sang them aloud as she descended the slope, and the load ofcare slipped off her heart, leaving her with a brave determination toface courageously whatever might have to be faced. 

CHAPTER XI. 

HULDAH'S NEW HOME. 

And there was very much to be faced, she found as the days came andwent, for within a week of that afternoon when Emma Smith crossed herpath again, much had been discussed and arranged, and another changewas to come into Huldah's life. 

The doctor, the vicar's own doctor, had seen and examined Emma Smith, and had given her but another year to live. He had not told herthat, but he had warned her very gravely that she was in a very badstate of health, and that he would not answer for the consequences, if she did not obey him; and something in his voice or manner hadstopped her peevish complainings, and set her thinking seriously. 

The doctor strongly urged that she should go to the workhouseinfirmary. "She will be well nursed and looked after there, " hesaid, "and she will be provided with all she requires, " but sheherself showed such violent opposition that at last, in fear for herhealth, they ceased to press it. Had they done so, she would surelyhave run away. At the same time she had no other home, no means, andwhat powers she had had of earning any were fast failing her. 

"I thought you'd be able to help me, now you'm getting on so well, "she said to Huldah. "We fed and clothed and did everything for you, and now's your chance of returning some of it. " Then her moodchanged, and she wept and moaned, and clung to the girl passionately. "Don't you leave me!" she pleaded, hysterically; "don't you go andturn your back on me, too. You was mine before you was hers, "nodding her head towards Mrs. Perry. 

Her clinging to Huldah was more than a passing fancy, as they found, when they tried to get her to go into a home where she could have hadrest and change and food and nursing. She sobbed and pleaded, thenflatly refused to go, unless Huldah went too. 

"She's the only one in the world I know, " she cried. "Don't send meaway with strangers, they'll all look down on me, and--and I--no, Icouldn't bear it. I won't go, I won't, I won't! I'll go off on thetramp again, where none of you will ever find me, and I won't everbother any of you any more. "

At last Huldah went with tears in her eyes to Miss Carew. "I'll haveto go with her, miss, " she said, piteously. "She can't go away onthe tramp all by herself. I can keep us both pretty well. I must gowith her, Miss Rose, wherever she goes; she hasn't got anybody else. "

This of course they could not allow. They could never send such achild as Huldah out into the world, with only a dying woman ascompanion and protector, to live where and how she could, in nobodyknew what dreadful haunts. So it was decided between them that EmmaSmith was to settle down amongst them, and Huldah must leave Mrs. Perry and go to live with her. No lodgings could be found for her, for in that village the houses were not big enough to hold in comforteven the families that lived in them, and there was certainly no roomfor a lodger. And houses were as scarce as lodgings. 

At last a brilliant idea came to Miss Carew, and with her father'spermission she hurried off with the good news. 

"You shall have the two rooms over our coach-house, " she cried, delightedly, for it was a real relief to her to feel that Huldahwould be so near her, and under her own eye. "They are a good size, and dry and airy; and we must all pull together to get what furniturewe can. "

Huldah's face grew brighter and brighter with every word Miss Roseuttered, for she had begun to fear that they would have to goelsewhere. 

To be near Miss Rose, too, would help to make up for the pain ofleaving Aunt Martha and Dick and the cottage, a parting which hadbeen weighing on her more heavily than she would have liked anyone toknow. Dick, it was decided, was to remain with Mrs. Perry, forwithout him she declared she could not live on in the cottage whenHuldah was gone. 

As soon as the rooms had been cleaned and papered, the furnishingbegan, and that was really rather fun. No one was rich, and noone could give much, but what they gave they gave with a will. Miss Rose turned out some sheets and pillow-cases, a table and achair, the vicar ordered in half a ton of coal, the doctor's wifegave them a bed, some pieces of carpet, curtains, a kettle and an oldbasket chair. Mrs. Perry gave a teapot, cups and saucers, and arag-rug of her own making. The doctor sent in some pots and pans, and meat and other food to put in them, and the folks in the village, who had come to know Huldah's story, turned out something, and sent, a jug, a brush, a sack of firewood, a bar of soap, and all manner ofodds and ends, every one of which came in usefully. Huldah's ownlittle bed and looking-glass and odds and ends came from her bedroomin the cottage, and all together helped to make the two bare roomslook home-like and comfortable. 

The furniture was scanty and shabby, but to anyone accustomed torough it as Emma Smith had done, the place was beautiful, and full ofcomfort and rest. 

When it was ready, and she was first taken into it, she dropped intothe basket chair by the fire, and burst into grateful tears. It was the first time she had shown any gratitude or pleasure in whatwas being done for her. 

"It's like 'ome, " she sobbed, weakly, "and I've never had one since Igot married, till now, --and now--how I'm ever going to thankeverybody, I don't know. I never seem able to do any good toanybody, I don't. 'Tis all take, with me, and no give, and I'mashamed of it. "

Huldah felt some of the load slip off her spirits as she looked abouther. Here really was a home for Aunt Emma, --and now it rested withherself to make it as neat and comfortable and happy as a home couldbe. She would keep it as clean as a new pin, and as pretty as lay inher power. She tried to conquer her sadness by hard work, to putaway her sorrow at leaving Aunt Martha and Dick and their happy lifetogether. 

"Brownies always go where there's most to be done, Miss Rose says, not where they'll be most comfortable, " she said to herself, bravely, but her poor little face was very wistful. A few days later, though, when, after a long day's work, she sat down and looked about her, sheremarked cheerfully, "I don't think anybody can go on feeling verymiserable when they've lots to do and somebody to take care of. "A glow of pride warmed her heart, as she sat there drying herwater-soaked hands, and glanced from the gleaming stove andfire-irons to the speckless window, and well-scrubbed table. 

On the table stood a jar full of autumn flowers, and on thewindow-sill a box full of brown earth and little roots, doubledaisies, primulas, wallflowers. This last was Huldah's special joyand pride. 

"We'll have a proper little garden there, when the spring comes, " sheremarked proudly to Aunt Emma. 

Aunt Emma shook her head in melancholy fashion. "I shan't be here tosee it. "

"Oh yes you will. You'll be helping me with the spring cleaning, "said Huldah, trying to keep cheerful, --one of the hardest of herdaily tasks, for Aunt Emma's melancholy seldom left her. She neversaw the bright side of anything, poor soul, nor the best, nor did shetry to; and the depressingness of it told on the child's spirits morethan anyone knew. 

She worked very hard indeed at this time. The vicar had given themthe rooms rent-free; but Huldah's basket-making had to supply almosteverything else--food, clothing, lights, and many an extra--neededfor Aunt Emma. Their rooms were few, and there was not much in them, but all that had to be done fell to Huldah to do. Emma Smith neverput her hand to anything, not even to wash a dish, cook a meal, ormake her own bed. She needed a great deal of waiting on, too, andwas very fretful. She did not like to be left alone, even whileHuldah went out to do the errands; and on the days when the poorchild had to go to Belmouth to deliver her work, or get more raffia, Aunt Emma had always a very bad turn, and an attack of melancholy. 

It was quite pathetic to see the way she clung to the little waif shehad treated so cruelly when she had her in her power. She wanted noone but Huldah now, and she wanted her always. She loved herbrightness and cheerfulness. When Huldah laughed and sang she wasquite content, but the moment she was sad or quiet, Aunt Emma wouldgrow peevish and uneasy. 

"You'm fretting because you've got to stay here with me, I know. You'm longing to be back with that Mrs. Perry. I know it's 'ard to'ave to live with a poor miserable creature like me, and I wonder youcan bear it as well as you do. "

Then she would burst into tears. It never occurred to her that shemight try to make it less miserable for Huldah, by trying to becheerful herself sometimes. 

"I'm not fretting. I love taking care of you, " pleaded poor Huldah. "I was only trying to think how to make a new-shaped basket thatpeople might take a fancy to. Shall I read to you, Aunt Emma?"

Emma Smith loved being read to, and hour after hour Huldah spent overa book when she knew she ought to be at her basket-making. To try tomake up the time, she got up at four or five in the morning, but inthe winter that meant burning oil, and they could not afford that. Then one day it occurred to her to sing instead of reading, and afterthat she found things easier, for she could sing while she worked. 

It was a strange medley of songs that echoed through the rooms in thethin child-like voice. "Home, sweet Home, " "Father, dear Father, come Home, " "God save the King, " "The Old Folks at Home, " were someof their favourites, and if the words and air were not alwayscorrect, they never failed to bring pleasure to both performer andaudience. 

Of hymns Huldah had a greater store in her brain, and by degreesthese ousted the songs as favourites. 

"Sing that one about the green hill without any wall round it, " AuntEmma said one day. "It does mind me so of 'ome when we werechildren. Our cottage was just at the foot of a hill like that, andmother used to turn us out there to play together by the hour. It was what they call a mountain. We used to dare each other to goto the top. "

"Did you ever do it?" asked Huldah, plaiting away industriously. 

"Never; we was so afraid. It was so high up, and the top looked sofar away, and--oh, it used to frighten me! I'd dream at night that Iwas lost up there, and I'd call and call, and nobody ever heard me orcame to save me. "

"_He'd_ have saved, if you'd asked Him, " said Huldah, gravely. 

"I wonder why He didn't save Himself, " said Aunt Emma. "I spose Hecould have, couldn't He?"

"Oh yes, He could, and He could have struck all His enemies down deadif He'd liked, only He was always one for thinking about others, never about Himself. "

"And that's the sort that always gets put upon, " said Aunt Emma, quickly. 

 "He died that we might go to Heaven, He died to make us good, He died that we might be forgiven--"

Aunt Emma's voice failed, and she suddenly burst into tears. "I couldn't never be good enough, " she sobbed, piteously. "I haven'tbeen good since I was a child, and now I'm going to die--I know it, Ifeel it, I see it in the doctor's face, and--and everybody's. I've got to die, and just when I'm happy for the first time. He says He loves everybody, but nobody ever loved me, I never gave'em reason to, and--and I'm afraid to die, Huldah! I've been so bad, and it'll be so lonely! I wouldn't mind so much if there wassomebody over--over the other side that loved me. "

There had been a footstep on the stair, but neither of them had heardit, and when Miss Rose entered the room neither of them saw her, fortheir eyes were blinded with tears. 

"Oh, Aunt Emma!" cried Huldah, springing to her bedside, "I love you!I do, I do, and--and oh, I wish someone would tell you all about it, so that you'd understand, and feel happy!"

A soft, light step crossed the room, and a gentle hand was laid onHuldah's bowed head. "Dear, shall I try? Shall we try together?"

Huldah sprang to her feet with a glad cry. "Oh, Miss Rose, I waslonging for you to come. You can tell Aunt Emma. "

Miss Rose sat down beside the bed, and laid her hand gently on Emma'shand. "I wish I was more clever, " she said, wistfully. "I wish Icould make you feel how dearly Jesus has always loved you, how He haswept for you and longed for you, how He has forgiven you all theneglect and insults you have heaped on Him, and has held out Hisarms, beseeching you to come to Him! At this very moment He isstanding at the door, patiently waiting for you to let Him in. Will you keep Him outside, dear Emma?"

Miss Rose's voice died away, and silence reigned in the darkeningroom; the fire fell together and sent up a cheerful flame, Emma Smithlay thinking, --"Was it really true that He wanted her?" That she hadturned her back on Him, and mocked and insulted Him, she knew, knewbetter than anyone else could, --and could He really love her in spiteof all?

Miss Rose's voice broke the silence, singing softly, "Knocking, knocking, who is there? Waiting, waiting, oh, how fair! 'Tis a Pilgrim, strange and kingly, Never such was seen before; Ah, my soul, for such a wonder Wilt thou not undo the door? Knocking, knocking--what, still there? Waiting, waiting, grand and fair, Yes, the pierced hand still knocketh, And beneath the crowned hair Beam the patient eyes, so tender, Of the Saviour, waiting there. "

Low sobs broke from the poor soul on the bed, sobs of grief and joyand repentance. "If He really cares--if He is really like that!" shesobbed. "Oh, I want Him! I do want Him to love and take care of me, too!"

Miss Rose's arms were round her, her lips were on her brow. "My dear, He is all that, and more. He will take care of you always, in this world and the next. He will love you so that you cannot feellonely any more. Put your hand in His, put all your troubles off onHis shoulders, trust Him, and follow where He leads you, and nothingcan harm you. Don't be afraid. He will lead you to a home, and loveand happiness such as no one could know in this world, where we areall so weak and full of faults. "

"Home! Will it seem like home?" she asked, timidly. 

 "I'll soon be at home, over there, For the end of my journey I see, Many dear to my heart over there Are watching and waiting for me, Over there, over there, I'll soon be at home over there. "

sang Huldah, softly. The flame died down, and left the room verydim, but still the three sat on, silent, thoughtful. Miss Rose satbetween them, holding a hand of each. 

"I expect 'twas Him as led me back to Huldah, " said the weak voice, presently. 

"Yes, dear. He was bringing you together, that all might be madehappy between you. "

"I am very glad He did. 'Twas more'n I deserved--after the way I'dtreated one of His. "

Huldah threw herself across the bed, her arms thrown round the dyingwoman. "Aunt Emma--Aunt Emma, don't! That's all forgotten. I deserved what I got. It's all over now; don't let's remember itany more!"

"Will you tell--Him you've forgiven me?"

"Yes, oh yes; but He knows, there's no need to tell Him. He knows welove each other now, --oh, Aunt Emma, if you can only get well, howhappy we shall be!"

Miss Rose got up and stirred the fire to a blaze again. Her heartwas glad, yet sad. Glad that this poor soul was coming to herFather, but at the same time sad, for she knew how little hope therewas of Huldah's wish coming to pass. It was sweet, though, to thedying woman to hear the wish from the child she had ill-treated andneglected so long, and she clasped her to her in a paroxysm of love. 

For a moment they lay thus, then Miss Rose put a handful of wood onthe fire, and made the blaze grow bright and brisk. 

"I am not going to talk any more now, " she said, cheerily, "or letyou talk, Emma, or I shall have a scolding from the doctor, but I amgoing to ask you and Huldah to give me a cup of tea, here in thefirelight. Then, after that, I am going to tell you a little pieceof news. "

CHAPTER XII. 

HAPPY HOURS. 

The bed was wheeled up to the fireplace, the tea table and two chairswere grouped about the hearth, and there they had their last mealtogether in happy peacefulness. 

A sense of quiet rested on them all, a shade of awe, of feelings sodeep that ordinary chatter would have seemed out of place. EmmaSmith's thoughts were still lingering about that figure standingoutside the door, "Knocking, knocking. " She must have seen a pictureonce of that figure with the patient, tender eyes, knocking at afast-closed door, but she had never troubled to ask who it was. Now it all seemed close, He was so real. It was ordinary, everydaylife that seemed unreal now, that began to seem to her so far away. 

Huldah was drawing bright pictures in her mind of days when thespring would come, and Aunt Emma would be stronger and able to walkabout; they would be able to go and see Aunt Martha sometimes. Her thoughts dwelt lovingly on Aunt Martha and Dick. She saw themseldom now, the storms and the rough roads kept Aunt Martha at home, and Huldah could not leave her Aunt Emma. 

So busy was she with her thoughts that she forgot all about MissRose's promised piece of news, until, when the tea was over, MissRose spoke of it again. 

"You must light the lamp now, brownie. I want to talk to your aunt. There is someone wanting to see her, --someone that she wants to see, I think. "

Emma Smith turned quickly, an eager light flashing over her face. "Is it--Tom?" she asked, excitedly. 

"Yes--your husband. He has behaved so well he got his discharge assoon as it was possible, and he has come in search of you. "

Suddenly the light and eagerness died out of her face. "Charlie--andthe van!" she cried, growing white to the lips. "I've got to tellhim, --he'll never forgive me. " Her lips quivered piteously. 

"He knows, " said Miss Rose, soothingly. "I told him. I thought itbetter to explain quickly what had happened, and not let him beexpecting to find them too. "

She did not tell of the scene there had been when first he had heardof the loss, nor the difficulty they had had in persuading him to seehis wife, and be kind to her. "I don't want her; 'twas the horse andvan I wanted, " he said, cruelly. 

He was not really as cruel, though, as he appeared. He seemed quitetouched when he heard of his wife's starving state when she came insearch of Huldah, and of her condition now, and expressed a desire tosee her. "I won't say nothing to upset her, " he promised, when theyseemed to hesitate. 

Huldah's face had turned even whiter than Emma's, when she heard whowas near, and what he wanted, her fear of him had been so increasedsince he carried her away by force that night. But when she saw howeager her aunt was to see him, she did try to overcome her fears. 

Within a few moments of Miss Rose's telling of her "news, " he wasthere, in their midst. To pale, trembling Huldah, whose every nervehad been set quivering by the mere sound of his step on the stair, hethrew only a cool nod, as, awkwardly enough, he made his way to hiswife's bedside, and sat down beside her. 

"I hear you'm bad, " he said, coolly, but it was plain that heraltered appearance shocked him. Every now and again, when she wasnot looking, he gave long wondering glances at her, and his eyes werealmost troubled. "So I hear you and the kid have been livingtogether again. "

"Huldah? Oh, Tom, she's been such a comfort to me--"

"That's all right. I s'pose she isn't such a bad kid, on the whole. "

"She's more'n good to me. " Then quickly, feverishly she began topour out the story of her life since he "was took away. " She toldhim of Charlie and the van, and how she was tricked. Of her comingto Huldah, and their home together, and her own illness, untilgradually her voice grew weary and fainter and fainter. The flushdied out of her cheeks, the light out of her eyes. She wasexhausted, but after she could not even whisper, a smile stillhovered about her lips, and her hand held that of her husband. He sat on, apparently content to do so. When her voice ceased, hedid not seem to notice. He appeared to be lost in thought to whichno one had the clue. 

Huldah sat as still as a mouse, never speaking, and hoping to escapebeing spoken to. Occasionally she placed a piece of coal or wood onthe fire, but that was all. She could not see her aunt's face, butshe thought at last she must be asleep, she was so still and quiet. 

The silence, broken as it was only by the crackle of the fire, hadbegun to grow oppressive, when suddenly it was broken by a sound ofsinging, low, quivering, almost indistinct:--

 "For the end--of my--journey--I see-- Many dear to my heart--over there Are watching--and waiting for me. Over--there, over--there-- I'll soon be--at--home--"

Tom Smith tried to draw away his hand, but his wife's hand clung toit, her voice died away. "Kiss me--Tom, won't you?" she gasped. 

He stooped and kissed her. She lifted her hand to touch his cheek, but it fell back helpless. "Hark, " she gasped--"the knocking! I--amcoming--" then with one long deep sigh, her voice was still for ever. 

A few moments later, Tom Smith stumbled down the stairs, and out intothe darkness and away, never to be seen by Huldah again. She knewand realised nothing then, but that her Aunt Emma was dead, that allher dreams had ended, all her plans for the future were fruitless, that their living together was ended, her home broken up once more. 

"She's had such a hard life!" she sobbed. "And I thought I was goingto make her so happy when she got about a bit again. "

"But she never would have got about again, dear. She could neverhave got beyond these rooms, and I feel sure she would always haveworried about her husband. She could never have gone about with himagain, and she would have fretted at being left behind. She is happynow, brownie, and out of pain. No one who really loved her couldwish her back again. Don't grieve so, Huldah dear. You made thelast months of her life happier than any she had known. "

"But I ran away and left her, and he beat her and Charlie for it, and--and--"

"Brownie, dear, if you want to do what would have pleased your aunt, you will forget all that. She loved him and forgave him everything, and she longed for others too to forget that he was ever anything buta kind husband. "

Huldah was silent. She understood the feeling. It was what shewanted everyone to feel with regard to Aunt Emma, --to remember onlywhat was good of her. 

And she had her wish. The little group gathered in the churchyard afew days later remembered only her suffering and her sorrows, and thelove which had lived through all, and many a pretty bunch of winterflowers and leaves and berries were laid on her grave by kindly, pitying hands. In the furthest corner of the little churchyard theylaid her, in a corner where the sun rested, and where a hawthorngrew, in which a robin sang hopefully while they laid her to rest. 

Huldah, standing by the grave-side while the beautiful words of theBurial Service were being read, thought of those other partings, sosad, so cruel, --oh, this was better than those, and not so complete. She could still feel that Aunt Emma was near her, and safe, and inthe best of all keeping, at peace for ever and ever. 

They thought it best that Huldah should not go back to the emptyrooms again, and she was glad; so after the service was over shewalked back to her old home once again, as though she had never leftit, and the last few months had been but a dream. And it was all solike a dream that at the top of the lane she paused and looked abouther, half bewildered. Could she be, she asked herself, the sameHuldah who not so many months before had stood there a cowed, frightened, hunted thing, starving, exhausted, but minding nothing aslong as--as what?

As long as she escaped from the two she had so lately parted with, with such an aching heart. She looked down over her black frock. She felt the sadness in her heart, the sense of loss. Could suchchanges really have come about, that now she was full of grief thatshe could never again see or hear the aunt she had so feared?

"Come home, dear; come home. I want you too, oh so badly!"

Aunt Martha's voice broke in on her thoughts, and brought her quicklyback to the present. Aunt Martha's face was white and tired withcold and weariness. Huldah was filled with repentance. 

"Oh, you're tired, " she cried, remorsefully, "and chilled, and I'mkeeping you standing here. Oh, Aunt Martha, I hope you haven'ttaken cold. We'll hurry now, and I'll make you a good fire, and sometea, and--and I am going to take care of you now, auntie, all therest of my days, till I'm an old, old woman, and I'll never go andleave you any more, for it's plain to see, looking up at her halfmischievously, you can't take care of yourself without me. "

So, for the third time Huldah came back to Woodend Lane, and to Dick, who went nearly crazy with joy, and to the chickens, and garden andher basket-making; and this time she stayed, if not till she was anold woman, at any rate until someone big and strong and very fond ofher, came and built a new cottage, to join Mrs. Perry's old one, anda new fowl's house on to the old one which Dick had guarded so well, that he earned for his little mistress and himself a home and friendsfor ever. And even then one could scarcely call it "leaving, " forpresently the wall which divided them was knocked down, and the twocottages were made one. 

Huldah's basket-making business increased and increased, until atlast she had to teach another little girl, that she might come andhelp her, and then another and another; and perhaps the proudestmoment of her life was when she was able to buy the cottage she lovedso much, and present it to her dearly-loved 'Aunt Martha' as aChristmas gift. 

By that time Huldah, the little waif, who had earned for herself thename of "the Brownie, " had made for herself so many friends, thatwhen her wedding took place, so many wished to attend it, they had toborrow the field opposite for the wedding-feast. And where she hadonce sat and worked and dreamed of the future, there she sat nowflushed, smiling and happy, cutting the wedding cake which old Dinah, with great pride, had made in the vicarage kitchen. 

There she sat, with Dick close beside her, his old heart somewhat sadwith fear of another parting, Aunt Martha opposite, divided betweensmiles and tears, and beside her her husband, who was not going todivide them, but bind them more securely together; and last, but notleast, on Huldah's other hand sat Miss Rose, --no longer "Miss, " butalways "Miss Rose" to everyone in Woodend, --who, if Huldah had beenthe "brownie, " had proved herself the fairy godmother, the best ofguides and friends to those two who had strayed into her life thathot summer's morning years ago--those two poor loving, hungry, friendless waifs, --Dick and the Brownie.