me, wife!"

"A heart to share joy and grief with is a great comfort to man or woman.
Isn't it, Eli?"

"It is so, my lass.

'It doth joy double,
And halveth trouble,'

runs the byword. And so I have found it, sweetheart. Ah! here comes the
young fool."

Catherine trembled, and held her husband's hand tight.

The moon was bright, but they were in the shadow of some trees, and
their son did not see them. He came singing in the moonlight, and his
face shining.



CHAPTER VIII

While the burgomaster was exposing Gerard at Tergou, Margaret had a
trouble of her own at Sevenbergen. It was a housewife's distress, but
deeper than we can well conceive. She came to Martin Wittenhaagen, the
old soldier, with tears in her eyes.

"Martin, there's nothing in the house, and Gerard is coming, and he is
so thoughtless. He forgets to sup at home. When he gives over work, then