by way of emphasis. "I just want to say that if I'd only known at
the time when Eric of Falla came to me and offered to let me build
on his ground, and gave me some old timber for a little shack, if I
had only known then that this would happen, I'd have said no to the
whole business, and gone on living in the stable-loft at Falla for
the rest of my days."

He knew these were strong words, but felt no inclination to take
them back.

"Supposing something were to happen--?" he began--for by that time
matters had reached such a pass with him he would not have minded
it if the child had met with some mishap before coming into the
world--but he never finished what he wished to say as he was
interrupted by a faint cry from the other side of the wall.

The woodshed was attached to the house itself. As he listened, he
heard one peep after the other from within, and knew, of course,
what that meant. Then, for a long while he sat very still, feeling
neither glad nor sorry. Finally he said, with a little shrug:

"So it's here at last! And now, for the love of God, they might let
me slip in to warm myself!"

But that comfort was not to be his so soon! There were more hours
of waiting ahead of him.

The rain still came down in sheets and the wind increased. Though
only the latter part of August, it was as disagreeable as a
November day. To cap the climax, he fell to brooding over something