And then I took him out of the stable-yard and ran away with him."

"I'm afraid that was badness in the end," said Mrs. Kane. "It began with
goodness, but it ran to badness. Deary me, it's often the same with
myself. I think I'm so right that I can't go wrong. But all comes
straight again when we're sorry for a fault."

"But I can't be sorry for keeping Scamp when he loves me so. Nobody else
loves me," cried Hetty, with a burst of tears.

Mrs. Kane was by her side in a minute. "Not love you! don't they, my
dear? Well, there's somebody that loves you more than Scamp, _that_ I
know. Come, now, dry your eyes and eat a bit. There's a nicer cup of tea
than they'd give you at the Hall; for the little brown pot on the hearth
makes better tea than ever comes out of silver. I was a maid in a big
house once myself, and I know the difference."

In answer to this Hetty sat up as well as the pain of her foot would
allow, and flung her arms round Mrs. Kane's neck.

"Oh, keep me here with you!" she cried. "I am tired of being grand. I
will stay with you and learn to be a useful girl, if only you will love
me."

Mrs. Kane heaved a long sigh as Hetty's arms fastened round her neck.
Now she felt rewarded for all the love and care she had poured out on
the child during the three years she had had her for her own. A little
bit of hard ice that had always been lying at the bottom of her heart
ever since Hetty had left her, now melted away, and she said, half
laughing and half crying: