eagerly, "It wouldn't not take long to carry all our things to another
house, would it? Me and Shovel could near do it ourselves."

"And that's God's truth," the woman said, with a look round the room.
"But what for should we do that?"

"Do you no see, mother?" he whispered excitedly. "Then you and me could
slip away, and--and leave her--in the press."

The feeble smile with which his mother received this he interpreted
thus, "Wherever we go'd to she would be there before us."

"The little besom!" he cried helplessly.

His mother saw that mischievous boys had been mounting him on his
horse, which needed only one slap to make it go a mile; but she was a
spiritless woman, and replied indifferently, "You're a funny litlin."

Presently a dry sob broke from her, and thinking the child was the
cause, soft-hearted Tommy said, "It can't not be helped, mother; don't
cry, mother, I'm fond on yer yet, mother; I--I took her away. I found
another woman--but she would come."

"She's God's gift, man," his mother said, but she added, in a different
tone, "Ay, but he hasna sent her keep."

"God's gift!" Tommy shuddered, but he said sourly, "I wish he would take
her back. Do you wish that, too, mother?"

The weary woman almost said she did, but her arms--they gripped the baby