"About what I am going to tell you," and the woman gave a slight laugh.
"It's the most wonderful story you ever heard."

"Better than a fairy tale?"

"You can judge that for yourself when you hear it."

"All right, then. Go ahead."

"The beginning of this story goes back quite a number of years," the
woman began. "There was a young man who went away from home, and left
his father and mother alone. They missed him very much, for he was
their only child. He was a handsome man, and all who saw him admired
him. After awhile he met a woman who loved him dearly. They were
married, and lived so happily together in a little cottage with trees
all around it. They didn't have much money, but they had each other,
and that meant so much to them. At last a little stranger came to
their home, a dear baby boy, and then their cup of joy was full. He
was so sweet and cunning, and they were never tired of watching him
grow. Then something terrible happened. The father of the baby was
suddenly killed."

"Oh!" It was all Rod could say, as with eyes full of sorrow he fixed
them upon the face of the story-teller.

"Yes, he was killed," the woman continued in a low voice, while with a
great effort she restrained her feelings. "It was in a railway
accident. His wife was thus left alone. She was a stranger and
without money, and for days she wandered about trying to get work. But
no one wanted a woman with a baby. She was told to put it either in