before, but my sister and I made a shift to take care of the little
ones in a poor place of our own."

"And can you take the child in? You seem a good lad."

"We will do our best for her, sir."

"What's your name?" and "Where do you live?" followed. And as
Steadfast replied the old Cavalier took out his tablets and noted
them, adding, "Then you and your sister will be good to her till we
can send after her."

"We will treat her like our little sister, sir."

"And here's something for her keep for the present, little enough I
am afraid, but we poor Cavaliers have not much left. The King's men
were well to do when I heard last of them, and they will make it up
by-and-by. Or if not, my boy, can you do this for the love of God?"

"Yes, sir," said Steadfast, looking up with his honest eyes, and
touching his forelock at the holy Name.

"Here, then," and Sir Harry held out two gold pieces, to which his
companion added one, and two or three of the troopers, saying
something about poor Gaythorn's little maid, added some small silver
coins. There was something in Steadfast's mind that would have
preferred declining all payment, but he was a little afraid of
Patience's dismay at having another mouth to provide for all the
winter, and he thought too that Jeph's anger at the adoption of the
Canaanitish child might be averted if it were a matter of business